Abergavenny has become home to a new clinic with the aim of boosting life expectancy in the local area.

The Our Future Health research programme has brought a mobile clinic to the town for people to take part in health research as well as learning more about how to lead healthier lives for longer. It comes as new data reveals Wales has a lower life expectancy than other parts of the UK.

On average, people in Wales are expected to live roughly two-and-half-years less shorter in ‘good health’ than those across the rest of the UK. For a female, this is just 58-and-half years while the average man still won’t make 60 in ‘good health’. Their healthy life expectancy is 59.2.

The clinic is coming to Abergavenny as part of the mobile clinic roadshow, with the hope of reaching as many people as possible.

“We’re thrilled to launch our mobile clinic roadshow this summer, enabling even more people to get involved in Our Future Health,” Dr Raghib Ali, Chief Executive and Chief Medical Officer of Our Future Health said.

“It’s essential that our programme represents people across the UK, so that research can reflect the health and needs of people in these areas. We are committed to ensuring that the people who participate reflect the whole of Wales, including younger people and those from more deprived backgrounds, both groups who are often under-represented in research.”

“These new clinics will travel to areas of Wales that we haven’t been to before, so more people can take part to learn about their own health and help to improve the health of everyone in Wales.”

The clinic is now set up in the car park at Waitrose, in Llanfoist, and will be there until August 7. Anyone who wishes to book an appointment will need to book in advance via the Our Future Health website.

It is the UK’s largest health research programme and over 54,000 people have already signed up, but the programme is launching three new mobile clinics which will travel around Wales so even more people can take part.

At their clinic appointment, as well as having a blood sample and some physical measurements taken, volunteers will be offered information about their own health, including their blood pressure. The appointment lasts 15-20 minutes and will be conducted by a trained member of staff. As part of signing up, people will consent to Our Future Health linking to their medical records and will also complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire.

In the future, volunteers will also be given the option to receive feedback about their risk of some diseases and have the opportunity to take part in cutting-edge research studies. There is no minimum or maximum age for anyone to book an appointment, providing the person booking the appointment is an adult.

The programme hopes to reach communities who have been underrepresented in previous health research, including those under 30 and those from deprived backgrounds.