A specialised mobile clinic bus designed to deliver lung health screening has arrived in Shellharbour, expanding access to early detection services for workers exposed to hazardous dusts across New South Wales.
The $2.5 million Lung Health Mobile Clinic, often referred to as the lung bus, is part of a statewide program that uses a fully equipped vehicle to bring diagnostic services directly to communities. The bus is currently stationed at Stockland Shellharbour, where it is providing free screenings to local workers.
The clinic bus is fitted with medical imaging and testing equipment, allowing chest X-rays, lung function tests and specialist consultations to be carried out on board. Each screening takes around 30 minutes and is designed to identify early signs of dust-related conditions such as silicosis, asbestosis and mesothelioma.
By using a mobile platform, the program can reach regional and outer-metro locations that may otherwise have limited access to specialist respiratory services. The lung bus screens more than 5,000 workers each year, with priority given to those identified as higher risk.
The program operates in coordination with SafeWork NSW and icare, including links to the NSW Silica Worker Register, which tracks workers who have been exposed to respirable crystalline silica. Registry data is used to help prioritise screenings and follow-up care.
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In Shellharbour, 23 workers are currently listed on the register and are being prioritised for screening due to potential occupational exposure. Statewide, more than 12,000 workers from almost 600 businesses have been recorded since the register was launched in October 2025.
NSW work health and safety minister Sophie Cotsis says the mobile clinic bus helps remove barriers to care.
“The iCare Mobile Clinic underscores the Minns Labour Government’s commitment to removing barriers like cost and location, ensuring workers across NSW have access to the critical support and care they need to safeguard their health,” Cotsis says.
“The Lung Bus is another important step towards protecting workers from dust diseases.”
Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park says the bus plays a practical role in prevention.
“These health checks can be lifesaving by enabling the early detection and treatment of dust-related diseases,” Park says.
“By bringing these essential services directly to the communities that need them most, the icare Lung Bus is helping to protect the health and futures of our workers.”
When not operating in regional centres, workers can also access screenings at icare’s Kent Street clinic in Sydney or through local providers. Appointments for the mobile clinic can be booked directly through icare.
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