Get on board and spot cancer sooner

The NHS Cancer Awareness Bus Tour is visiting communities across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire from 5-12 October, offering free cancer symptom advice, information about NHS cancer screening programmes, healthy lifestyle support and mini health checks.

Led by the East Midlands Cancer Alliance in collaboration with Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), the tour has been developed in line with the National Cancer Plan. It reflects national ambitions for Cancer Alliances to work with local authorities, Health and Wellbeing Boards and communities to deliver locally tailored cancer awareness activity.

The East Midlands continues to face challenges in achieving earlier cancer diagnoses, with 55.4% of cancers diagnosed at an early stage as of April 2026, compared with the national average of 59.2%. While Nottingham and Nottinghamshire perform better, with an early diagnosis rate of 60.9%, it remains well below the national ambition of 75%.

Local needs

The bus tour has been designed to respond directly to these local needs by bringing a range of health and wellbeing support services into the heart of the community. With no appointment needed, visitors will be able to access smoking cessation advice, receive support to use the NHS App, and speak to screening ambassadors who can help them access potentially life-saving screening appointments they may have missed.

This includes staff from the local breast screening service and social prescribers from local Primary Care Networks (PCNs), who can provide advice on making positive lifestyle changes that may help reduce cancer risk.

Visitors can also have a free mini-health check with Thriving Nottingham who will check blood pressure, BMI and provide healthy lifestyle advice. To ensure support is accessible to as many people as possible, information materials will also be available in easy read and the most spoken languages in the area, including English, Polish, Urdu, Arabic and Punjabi.

The tour aims to make trusted NHS information and support easier to access by bringing it directly into local communities. By increasing awareness of cancer symptoms and screening programmes, the initiative encourages people to seek advice if something does not feel right, attend screening appointments when invited, and take positive steps to improve their health.

The NHS Cancer Awareness Bus provides a safe, welcoming and informal space where local residents can access reliable NHS information and support without pressure or judgement. You do not need to have symptoms to visit the bus.

Innovative initiative

Councillor Helen Kalsi, Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health at Nottingham City Council, said: “I am delighted to support the launch of the East Midlands Cancer Awareness Bus Tour and to welcome its first Nottingham stop in Strelley.”

“This innovative initiative will bring vital information and support directly into communities where screening uptake is lower, helping more people understand the signs and symptoms of cancer and the importance of early diagnosis. I encourage residents to visit the bus, ask questions and find out what support is available.”

Victoria Millward, EMCA Managing Director, said: “Reducing health inequalities and diagnosing more cancers at an earlier stage are key priorities for us at the East Midlands Cancer Alliance. We know that not everyone has equal access to health information and support, which is why taking cancer awareness directly into our local communities is so important.

“The Cancer Awareness Bus Tour will help us reach people in places that are familiar and accessible to them, providing trusted information about cancer symptoms, screening and the support available.

“By working alongside our local partners, we want to give people the knowledge and confidence to take positive action for their health – helping more people come forward sooner and, ultimately, supporting more cancers to be diagnosed earlier, when treatment is more likely to be successful.”

Locations

The cancer bus will be touring across Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire from Monday 5th October to Monday 12th October 2026. The bus will be open for visitors from 9am-4pm. You can hop aboard the bus at the following locations:

Everyone is welcome. Whether you have a specific worry, want to check your screening options, or simply want to learn more, hop aboard the NHS Cancer Bus this October. Spot cancer sooner.

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