Information for Healthcare Professionals, Patients and Resources 

NHS Bowel Cancer Screening checks if you could have bowel cancer. It's available to everyone aged 60 to 74 years. The programme is extending to include everyone aged 50 to 74 years, this is happening gradually and should be complete by 2025.

For full details please see NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) 

Within the Bowel Screening: programme overview section, you will find information on reducing inequalities and variation as well as a specific link to NHS bowel cancer screening: identifying and reducing inequalities.  The other useful area is the ‘Bowel cancer screening: information leaflets’ section, where you will find both standard and easy-read patient leaflets which explain bowel screening and the benefits and risks, how to use the bowel cancer screening kit etc which are available to download in 10 different languages including Polish, Urdu, Arabic and Chinese (simplified and traditional).  


How we can help – for Health professionals (Bowel Cancer UK) – this page provides a wealth of information and resources including free resources for you to download for ‘you’ and ‘your patients’. Bowel Cancer UKTips for collecting your poo .png

CRUK Bowel Cancer Screening (CRUK) – this page provides a wealth of information and resources. Including access to the CRUK Bowel Screening GP Good Practice Guide (CRUK)

FIT Screening vs FIT symptomatic (CRUK) – this document shows the key differences in the use of Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) for screening asymptomatic people through the bowel screening programme, compared to it being used to investigate symptomatic patients. 
Also, another great resource “Tips for collecting your poo” 
Further information about FIT symptomatic can be found on the CRUK website here

If you would like to support your patients to make an informed decision about bowel screening, you can find some useful links below. 

Overview of bowel cancer screening (NHS.UK) – this will provide patients with useful information about what bowel cancer screening is and how to take part.  It also includes the following links and information:

CRUK and other charities have also produced other materials which can be handed out to patients, as shown below:

  • A leaflet for patients on how to use the bowel screening kit can be found and downloaded for FREE here.
  • Bowel cancer screening information cards (England) (a handy wallet-sized card), are available to order FREE here which provide a contact number for those patients who have been invited to take part if they would like more information and need a new bowel cancer screening test kit.
  • Free resources can be ordered from Bowel Cancer UK Click here 
  • Bowel Cancer UK also has posters to support patients with questions to ask at appointments or when diagnosed.
  • You can also direct patients who cannot read or do not like written words to the Beyond Words bowel screening picture story, which includes a suggested storyline for family members, carers or health professionals to refer to.
  • The other useful area is the ‘Bowel cancer screening: information leaflets’ section, where you will find both standard and easy-read patient leaflets which explain cervical screening and the benefits and risks, how to use the bowel cancer
  • Macmillan Cancer Support also has a range of booklets, including easy reads that can be ordered here.

In addition to the NHS bowel cancer screening video mentioned above, Bowel Cancer UK and CRUK have also made available animated videos that patients can watch which provide basic information about bowel cancer screening and the bowel cancer screening kit.  The links are provided below:

 

Contacts

  • Bowel Cancer Screening Hub – contact:  tel: 0800 7076060 or email: gan-tr.north-east-bowel-hub@nhs.net
  • Patients can order a new kit or get more information by contacting freephone 0800 707 6060
  • Find out more on how you can request additional FIT kits here
  • Download the Bowel Cancer Screening Test Kit Request form here
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