The stop in Dubbo is part of a wider icare program to bring essential services to regional areas across the state.

This visit marks the third time that icare’s mobile Lung Screen unit has visited Dubbo and today it will be outside the Delroy Park Shops in West Dubbo.

icare General Manager for Dust Diseases Care Chris Koutoulas, said the Lung Screen unit is an example of how icare is putting workers and employers at the centre of all that it does.

“Bringing our mobile Lung Screen unit to at-risk workers, we can provide them peace of mind, save them valuable time and minimize disruption to their day,” he said.

“The top four industries that use our mobile Lung Screen service to screen their workers are Energy, Local Council, Construction and Manufacturing, industries which make up over 23 per cent of Dubbo’s workforce.”

Mr Koutoulas said for local businesses, the screening provides assurance about the health and safety of their workers.

“In 2016-17, our Lung Screen unit travelled more than 50,000 kilometres across metropolitan and regional NSW and conducted almost 2,500 lung screenings of at-risk workers,” he said.

“In 26 of these screenings, a dust-related lung abnormality was detected.”

icare’s Lung Screen unit will be returning to Dubbo in 2019. Employers interested in taking advantage of this health monitoring service are encouraged to contact icare to arrange a booking or visit www.icare.nsw.gov.au

icare’s Lung Screen unit features a 13-metre trailer equipped with a digital chest X-ray room, an advanced lung function testing equipment; and a medical practitioner to conduct lung examinations.

The screening takes 20 minutes and the results are reviewed by a respiratory physician.

A report is then provided to each worker and the employer is immediately notified of any exposure to an industrial dust.

At a rate of $100 plus GST per person, an employer can book the unit for a minimum of 30 workers.

icare will also be holding a community workshop on Friday, June 1, at the Dubbo RSL.

The workshop will explore accessible transport solutions to meet the needs of people severely injured on our roads or in the workplace.

Eugene McGarrell, icare’s General Manager, Health and Community Engagement, said they were hearing from many Lifetime Care participants who felt isolated and excluded because it was so hard to get out.

“Transport needs to be available, affordable and accessible, and we want our participants to be autonomous in how they get it,” Mr McGarrell said.

“We know that the longer people are away from work or their community, the greater their risk of social isolation and the likelihood of the onset of mental health issues, which can delay recovery.

“That is why we decided to look at what’s possible. We chose Dubbo because we know it’s a strong community and there is a significant number of people living with spinal and brain injuries in the Central West region.”

The workshop is being held at the Dubbo RSL, 178 Brisbane Street from 10am to 3pm on Friday, June 1

To register visit solutionsworkshopdubbo.eventbrite.com.au