The health board will launch a mobile specialist clinic next month.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) converted a former First Glasgow bus to improve care for Scotland’s most deprived communities offering a range of services from diabetes care for children and adults to gastroenterology.

The bus contains a clinical area, waiting area, kitchen, and communal area for staff.

It also has a flat-screen TV, WiFi, and hi-tech ambient strip lighting, with toys to keep young patients relaxed and entertained.

This approach could serve as a model for a range of services across NHSGGC and nationwide.

Rajeeb Rashid, consultant paediatric diabetologist with NHSGGC, is one of the team who has designed and commissioned the new clinic.

He said: "We're very proud of this initiative, and the mobile paediatric diabetes clinic will be one of the first in the UK.

“For people living in areas of high deprivation, the prospect of taking a loved one to a hospital appointment is a daunting one – not least because of the financial cost of, for example, taking time away from work and paying for travel to and from the hospital

“The bus allows us to take the care right to our patients, and that’s a huge win for everybody.

"For patients and families it helps to remove barriers to care, in turn reducing health inequalities, while for NHSGGC it reduces the number of non-attendances at appointments and allows us to see more patients more cost-effectively."

The bus will be on the road every day, stationed at health centres, public spaces, and possible public events.

Mr Rashid highlighted that the bus would offer more than just medical care.

He said: "We're hoping the bus will provide a one-stop shop to support entire families.

"Our TV screens can be used to share public health messages and advice on everything from benefits to healthy living, and we're planning to use the kitchen as a ‘show and tell’ space to help educate families on eating healthily on a budget."

Professor Brian Kennon, consultant in diabetes and endocrinology at NHSGGC, and National Lead for Diabetes, said: "NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to providing the best possible care to all our communities, and sometimes that means being creative in how we provide that care.

“By converting a bus and going right to the people we care for, we are providing valuable help to families who might otherwise struggle to access our services."