Thousands of residents in the gethampshire.co.uk area will be sent test kits as part of a bowel cancer screening service. 

A team from the Surrey Bowel Cancer Screening Centre is co-ordinating the mail-out, which is part of a drive to save lives by diagnosing the life-threatening illness early. 
 
The screening centre went live on Monday — and it is one of the first to launch in the South-East Coast area.

Everyone aged between 60 and 69 and registered with a GP in parts of north-east Hampshire will automatically be sent an invitation pack, which will include a free test kit.

Any positive results will be followed up by a team from the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford.
 
The simple test can be done at home and comes with step by step instructions. A specially designed, pre-paid envelope will be included so residents can return the kit for analysis at the screening hub in Guildford.

The laboratory analyses the samples, looking for tiny traces of blood that may be invisible to the naked eye. The test does not diagnose bowel cancer but, if positive, indicates that further investigation is required.

The pack also includes a leaflet called Bowel Cancer Screening — The Facts to help people make an informed choice about whether or not to take up the opportunity of screening. The invitation packs will be sent out to people over the next two years.

The programme’s clinical director and consultant colorectal surgeon John Stebbing said: “Screening plays a vital role in the early diagnosis of bowel cancer and saves lives. The screening centre team are highly committed to making this screening programme a success and are looking forward to providing a quick, excellent and caring service for all those taking part whose test result is positive.

“This is the first screening programme for both adult men and women and I want to urge anyone invited to take up the opportunity to be screened for bowel cancer.”

The NHS has been rolling out bowel cancer screening programmes across the country.

The charity Beating Bowel Cancer has welcomed the introduction of the NHS bowel cancer screening programme in north-east Hampshire.

Chief executive Hilary Whittaker said: “Bowel cancer is curable if caught early enough. That’s why screening is so important. It could save your life.

“We urge all those who are requested to participate to return their completed kits and we encourage those over 70 to phone the screening helpline to request a testing kit, which they are entitled to do.”

Beating Bowel Cancer is also calling on the government to extend screening to 50-59 year olds, as the incidence of bowel cancer increases from the age of 50 onwards.