THOUSANDS more people in Barnsley will be sent a home-testing kit that can help to detect signs of bowel cancer, it has been revealed.
People aged 50 and 52 are now starting to automatically receive a home test kit every two years by post when they become eligible, marking the final phase of the NHS ambition to offer everyone aged between 50 and 74 the screening test.
Around 850,000 additional people in England a year will be eligible for the screening test, with over four million more people invited since roll out began in 2021.
The kit, known as the faecal immunochemical test (FIT), checks for blood in a small stool sample, which can be a sign of bowel cancer.
FIT kits are done at home by putting a poo sample in a small tube and returning it by post to the NHS for testing.
Those newly eligible will receive an invitation letter and will be sent their test with full instructions and prepaid return packaging.
This will happen automatically for people in this new age group as this rolls out across the country.
Results are sent back to participants, along with information about further tests, if needed.
Through regular screening, the programme aims to diagnose bowel cancers at an earlier stage, increasing the chances of successful treatment and survival.
Steve Russell, national director for vaccinations and screening at NHS England, said:/ “Lives are saved when cancers are caught early and the expansion of the NHS bowel cancer screening programme to those aged 50 will help to spot signs of bowel cancer sooner, and potentially save thousands of lives.
“We are seeing positive uptake of the home testing FIT kits, with over two thirds of those eligible returning their tests, but this drops off in the lower age groups and we want to see even more people taking up the offer.
“While taking a test for bowel cancer may be the last thing you’re thinking about as you enter the new year, it could save your life, so if you’ve got a FIT kit hiding in a drawer at home, I would encourage you to return it quickly as you can - most people won’t have signs of cancer, but if the test does detect anything, we can ensure they are sent on for further tests and treatment.”
