Bowel Screening

Watch the humorous video below on the importance of bowel screening!

Please note – the new style screening kits are much easier to use – please think about the following:

1. 9 out of 10 people survive bowel cancer if it is found and treated early.
2. Men are less likely to take up screening but more cancers are detected in men. We need more men to take up screening.

Aged over 50 and haven’t yet taken part in screening?  – phone 0800 0121 833 to request your free test kit.

A reminder to all patients aged 50-74 of the importance in taking part in the national Bowel Screening Programme:

Every year almost 4000 patients across Scotland are diagnosed with Bowel Cancer and as with all types of cancer the early detection is key to successful treatment. To help with early detection all patients aged 50-74 will receive a simple bowel screening test kit in the post every 2 years.

These simple tests are completed at home and posted back to the national screening centre – which in turn reports results back to both the patient and the GP.

In Badenoch and Strathspey over 60% of the tests sent out are returned completed each year. However, this still means that there are hundreds of local people are not taking up the opportunity of screening.

The local GPs would like to strongly encourage all eligible patients to take 5 minutes to complete the simple test when it comes through the letter box.

More information about the testing programme is available online at http://www.bowelscreening.scot.nhs.uk/ or via the national Bowel Screening Helpline on 0800 0121 833.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact us for advice.