Mobile specialist healthcare provider, Heart of Australia, has expanded their operations to the Northern Territory to deliver access to the National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) with the launch of their new mobile CT clinic, HEART 8.

HEART 8 will support engagement with people in rural and remote communities across the Northern Territory, with a barge route to include three Arnhem Land communities, as well as Groote Eylandt, Tiwi Islands and Wadeye, to provide free lung cancer screening appointments to eligible participants.

Heart of Australia founder, Dr Rolf Gomes, said the early impact of mobile screening services in Western Australia and the Northern Territory has been deeply encouraging.

"We are seeing what can happen when healthcare is delivered in a way that meets people where they are; closer to home, closer to community, and with far fewer barriers," he said.

"Screening is one of the most important tools we have for improving outcomes, but it only works if people can access it."

Head of Stakeholder and Community Engagement, Deborah Guion, said the collaboration with First Nations communities in the lead up has helped bring the program to fruition with great success.

"After spending the past twelve months in consultation to co-design the service with each of the communities we will visit, we're thrilled to have launched HEART 8 into the Northern Territory," she said.

Ms Guion highlighted the vast distances HEART 8 will be travelling to provide access to healthcare.

"Each quarter, HEART 8 will travel over 6,900 kilometres to remote communities to provide services for the NLCSP, facilitating access to early intervention health care at the doorsteps of these far-reaching communities," she said.

Mobile lung cancer screening launched with HEART 7 in Western Australia last November, followed by the commencement of HEART 8 in the Northern Territory in May.

Together, the clinics have visited eighteen communities and provided over 500 lung cancer scans.

Australians living in rural, remote and First Nations communities face a higher lung cancer mortality rate than their metropolitan counterparts, due to barriers in accessible healthcare. Without this program, whole communities are at risk of remaining unaware and undiagnosed.

HEART 8 will be visiting communities throughout June to September with bookings for lung cancer screening now open with a valid referral from a healthcare provider.

• Maningrida: 6-17 July

• Milingimbi: 20-31 July

• Galiwin'ku: 4-14 August

• Alyangula: 17-28 August

• Wurrumiyanga: 7-18 September

• Wadeye: 21 September - 1 October

The timetable for the Heart of Australia fleet is available online.

People aged 50 to 70 years old and have a history of smoking are encouraged to speak to your healthcare provider or GP about the NLCSP.