BBC Look East followed Luton resident Gloria as she used a SISU Health Station at the new wellbeing hub in The Mall shopping centre. The hub gives residents free, walk-in access to health checks, helping them recognise potential risks and take practical steps to improve their health.
Watch BBC Look East visit Luton's wellbeing hub
This report followed Gloria as she completed a SISU Health Station check at The Mall and learned what she could do to improve her health.
From a regular shopping trip to an opportunistic health check
The Mall’s wellbeing hub gives Luton residents a chance to take a free health check while they are in the town centre.
SISU Health Stations sit alongside vaccinations and lifestyle support, bringing several preventative services together under one roof.
Residents can use them without arranging a separate appointment or visiting a clinical setting, making a health check easier to fit into an ordinary trip into town.
After completing a self-service check, users receive immediate, personalised results and guidance on what to do next, including when to monitor a potential risk or seek further support.
Gloria left with a clearer picture of her health
For local resident Gloria, the value of a check was practical: it helped her recognise where changes were needed and gave her clear, manageable steps to act on.
I’m happy I’ve done this. It’s helped me understand what I need to do for myself now – monitor my weight and prevent diabetes.
Her experience shows how a simple, convenient check can turn information into positive action.
More than 300 checks, with one in ten referred for follow-up
By the time BBC Look East visited, the Luton hub had delivered more than 300 health checks. Around 10% of users had been referred for follow-up care.
These figures capture the hub’s impact at the time of filming.
The programme continues to encourage residents to engage with their health while identifying people who could benefit from further advice or support.
What Luton’s wellbeing hub shows about community prevention
The Luton hub demonstrates how familiar, high-footfall locations can help councils and healthcare partners reach people who may not regularly access preventative services.
The initiative forms part of a wider network of community health projects, including another location in Milton Keynes. Each has been designed around the needs of its local population and the health inequalities affecting the area.
By bringing health checks into the places people already use, these initiatives make it easier for residents to understand their risks, access appropriate support and take action earlier.
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