National Screening Programmes

Breast Screening

The NHS Breast Screening Programme began in 1988. It aims to invite all women aged 50 – 71 years for breast screening once every three years. The aim of breast screening is to detect breast cancer at an earlier stage, often before the woman is aware of any problem. Early detection may mean simpler and more successful treatment.

Scientific evidence shows that regular breast screening, between the ages of 50 – 71 years, reduces the death rate from breast cancer. See the NHS Breast Screening Programme website for more details.

How does is work?

Breast Screening (Mammography) is an x-ray examination of the breasts and is a method of finding breast cancer at a very early stage.

At your screening appointment, a female mammographer will explain breast screening to you and ask you a few questions. She will then take the x-ray by compressing your breasts, one at a time between two special x-ray plates. The compression only lasts a few seconds and there is no evidence this harms the breast. Compression is needed to keep the breast still, in order to get the clearest picture with the lowest amount of radiation.

Two x-rays of each breast will be taken.

If you have not received your screening invite please contact the Breast Screening Programme (tel: 024 7696 7200)

If you have any changes or concerns about your breast, please contact your GP as soon as possible.

Bowel Cancer Screening

The bowel cancer screening test is called the faecal immunochemical test (FIT). The FIT looks for tiny traces of blood in the sample of poo which can be a sign of bowel cancer.

Who can have this screening?

If you are aged between 54 and 74 years old, you should receive a screening kit every two years. Some patients may now receive a test if they are over 50 as they are aiming to expand the programme to those ages 50 to 54. In the UK, everyone is invited to bowel cancer screening regardless of their gender.

How to do the test?

You don’t need to respond to your screening invitation to take part. You will automatically be sent a testing kit (about 2 weeks later). You do the test in your own home. The test is clean and simple. You only need to collect one sample of poo.

In the envelope you receive, there is:

• a detailed leaflet with instructions on how to do the test
• a tube with a stick in it to collect your sample
• prepaid specially designed (hygienic) envelope for you to send it back

The easiest way to collect the sample is to use an old plastic container, line it with toilet paper and pop it in the toilet. And then have a poo.

Once you have collected your poo:

• dip the stick from the testing kit in the poo
• make sure the end is covered with poo
• put the stick back in the tube and twist it shut
• write the date on the side of the tube
• you may need to put a sticker from the letter on the side of the tube marked with + (this is only for people in Scotland)
• put the tube into the prepaid envelope and post it

The test only needs a small amount of poo. Don’t add extra to the stick because the laboratory may not be able to process it. This means you would have to do the test again.

Getting your results

About 2 weeks after your test, you will get a letter with your results.

Most people receive a letter that says ‘no further tests needed at this time’. This doesn’t completely rule out cancer. So it’s important to know your body and what is normal for you. Contact your GP surgery if you have changes that don’t go away.

If your letter says ‘further tests needed’ this means that blood was found in your sample. This can be caused by other medical conditions and does not necessarily mean cancer. But if it is cancer, finding it at an early stage means treatment is more likely to work.

There are videos available to help should you need this:

Please see your GP if you have any possible symptoms of bowel cancer. You should not wait for your screening kit.

Cervical Cancer Screening, Smears and the HPV Vaccine

Cervical screening is a way of preventing cervical cancer. It is not a test for cancer. It tests for a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV).

High risk HPV can cause cell changes in the cervix, which may develop into cancer over time. But not all cell changes will develop into cancer. So it’s important to monitor any changes and give treatment if necessary. Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are linked to high risk HPV.

Cervical screening uses HPV primary screening. During the test, a nurse or doctor uses a small soft brush to take a sample of cells from the cervix. They send this sample to the laboratory. The cervical cells are first of all tested for the HPV virus. If high risk HPV is found, the laboratory will test the sample for cell changes.

You might also hear this test called a smear test. This was the test used before HPV testing.

Who can have cervical screening?

Cervical screening is free for anyone with a cervix from age 25 to 64. This includes women and some trans men and non-binary people assigned female at birth.

You may get your first invitation for screening in the six months before you turn 25. If this happens you can book an appointment. You don’t have to wait for your 25th birthday.

You may get your invitation as a letter through the post. In England, you may now get an invitation through the NHS app if you have it. This is followed by a text message if you haven’t opened the invitation on the app.

You will receive an invite to complete the screening every five years.

Do I need to have cervical screening if I’ve had the HPV vaccination?

Yes, you should still consider taking part in cervical screening if you’ve had the HPV vaccine. Cervical screening can reduce your risk of developing cervical cancer.

Girls and boys are offered the vaccine at the age of 12 and 13. This is to protect against cancers caused by HPV, including cervical cancer. The vaccine works best in young people before they are likely to come into contact with the virus. The HPV vaccine also protects against some mouth and throat cancers and cancer of the anus and genital area. It also prevents some genital warts.

An English study in 2021 showed that the vaccine dramatically reduced cervical cancer rates by almost 90% in women in their 20s who were offered it at ages 12 to 13.

More information on smears can be found online:

• Cancer Research UK
• Macmillan