Since the start of the year, RNY and SUIT have been working closely with a wide range of faith communities across Wolverhampton to improve access to health services.
As part of this, they have visited several gurdwaras, mosques and a Buddhist centre, taking healthcare directly into the community with the aim of raising awareness around liver health, promoting early intervention, and reducing health inequalities by offering accessible support.
At these pop up clinics, 472 adults aged 18 and over have received a Fibro-scan – a quick, painless test similar to an ultrasound, that checks for scarring and fat build up in the liver. These are early indicators of liver conditions such as fatty liver or fibrosis.
Participants received immediate feedback, with healthcare professionals available to explain their results and advise on any next steps. This approach led to almost 100 referrals being made to hepatology nurses at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust for further support and care.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: "These pop up Fibro-scan clinics are a great example of the way we are working with partners to bring healthcare to people in familiar, welcoming spaces, and we are looking forward to hosting further clinics in the near future.
"Early liver damage often presents no symptoms. The Fibro-scan is quick, non invasive and pain free, and provides instant results on liver condition - including identifying any issues which need addressing.
"By teaming up with Recovery Near You, SUIT and local gurdwaras, mosques and other faith settings, we’ve been able to break down barriers and help residents to take control of their liver health.”
Helen Kilgallon, Recovery Near You Operations Manager, added: "We are delighted to be part of this continued collaboration with the City of Wolverhampton Council and SUIT to deliver essential heath initiatives in the community. We have found all the faith settings to be welcoming of our service and these initiatives speaks volumes about the shared values of compassion, recovery, and inclusion. We hope to further expand this work in the near future."
