Cancer screening programmes include
Cervical Screenings For Women aged 25 – 64,
Bowel Screening for Men and Women aged 50 -74 and
Breast Screening for Women aged 50 -70.
Please see below for more details on the screening programmes and link to further information.
If you are transgender or Non-binary please follow this link to see how the screening programmes work for you Transgender & non-binary patients
Cervical Screening
NHS cervical screening helps prevent cervical cancer. It saves thousands of lives from cervical cancer each year in the UK. In England cervical screening currently prevents 70% of cervical cancer deaths. If everyone attended screening regularly, 83% could be prevented.
Cervical screening is for women and people with a cervix. We offer screening every 5 years from age 25 to 64. This is because most cervical cancers develop between these ages. First invitations arrive a few months before people turn 25. You can book your appointment as soon as you get your invitation. We invite some people more often due to a previous screening result. You should consider having screening regardless of your sexual orientation, sexual history, or whether you have had the HPV vaccination.
If you are a transgender (trans) man registered with your GP as female, we will send you invitations for cervical screening. If you are registered as male you will not receive invitations, but our GP or practice nurse can arrange an appointment for you if you have a cervix. If you are a trans woman you do not need cervical screening.
Appointments are available with a female nurse at both sites and at a range of times. Please do not book an appointment on a date where you are due to come onto your period as we will not be able to process your sample. If you have any questions or concerns, please request a call with a nurse. The following web pages have more information:
Cervical Screening helping you decide – www.gov.uk
An easy guide to cervical screening – Helpful for patients with learning disabilities
The following link offers the cervical screening invite letter in different languages and British sign language Cervical screening: invitations – GOV.UK
Bowel Screening
Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK. Screening uses a test called a Faecal immunochemical test (FIT) to look for signs of blood in a sample of your poo. This could be a sign of bowel cancer. You collect a sample at home and send it by post to be tested. It can help find cancer early and before you have symptoms which may be easier to treat.
Bowel screening is currently offered to people aged 50-74 every 2 years (you can get tested after the age of 75 but you must request a test). This is because the risk of Bowel cancer gets higher as you get older.
If you are aged 50-74 and registered with a GP you will automatically get a test kit through the post every 2 years. Depending on when you turned 50, you will be sent your first test at the age of either 50, 52 or 54. If you think you’re eligible for bowel cancer screening but you’ve not been invited, or had your test kit, call the bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 6060. If you’re aged 75 or over, you can call the bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 6060 every 2 years to ask for the test.
Further information and instructions on how to complete the test can be found on this following website Bowel cancer screening – nhs.uk
The following link offers the bowel screening instruction leaflet in different languages, Audio transcript and British Sign Language Your guide to NHS bowel cancer screening – GOV.UK
Breast Screening
NHS breast screening is offered to women aged 50 up to your 71st birthday. Everyone registered with a GP as female will be invited. You’ll automatically get your first invitation for breast screening between the ages of 50 and 53. You’ll then be invited every 3 years until your 71st birthday.
If you’re transgender or non-binary and you would like to be invited for breast screening see this page Transgender & non-binary patients
If you have not had a letter inviting you to breast screening
If you have not been invited for breast screening by the age of 53 and think you should have, contact your local breast screening service. https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-health-services/breast-screening-services/
If you missed an appointment
If you were invited for breast screening but missed it, you can contact your local NHS breast screening service to book now.
How breast screening can help prevent breast cancer
Breast screening uses X-rays called mammograms to check your breasts for signs of cancer. Regular breast screening is one of the best ways to spot a cancer that is too small to feel or see.
Finding cancer early can make it:
- more likely that treatment will be successful
- less likely you’ll need to have a breast removed
You can have breast screening whatever size or shape your breasts are.
Checking your breasts
As well as having regular breast screening, it’s important you know how your breasts normally look and feel. Cancer can develop between mammograms. If you notice any changes in your breasts that are not normal for you, see a GP straight away. Find out how to check your breasts: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/how-to-check-your-breasts-or-chest/
Who can get breast cancer
Anyone can get breast cancer. This includes women, men, trans and non-binary people. It’s the most common type of cancer in the UK.The chance of getting breast cancer increases as you get older. Most breast cancers are diagnosed in women over 50 years old.
The following link offers a guide to Breast Screening with further information and translated in different languages, Audio transcript and British Sign Language Your guide to NHS breast screening – GOV.UK
