Detecting more cancers early is a cornerstone of the NHS Long Term Plan, which sets out an ambition that 55,000 more people will survive cancer over the next ten years.
The programme has been running within Southend and Thurrock since 2020 and has successfully diagnosed 67 lung cancers to date with 70% of those being at stage 1 or 2 with many more patients going through the diagnostic pathway.
It is now expanding in to the Castle Point and Rochford area and will invite people for a lung health check who fulfil the following criteria:
- between the age of 55 and 75 (74 years and 364 days),
- who are smokers or former smokers,
- live in Castle Point and Rochford
A dedicated Targeted Lung Health Check (TLHC) team will be responsible for inviting eligible patients onto the programme. The TLHC team will be working with the practices to identify and contact patients. Residents will receive an appointment letter from their GP practice and will make an appointment via dedicated appointment line.
They will be invited to attend a respiratory nurse-led appointment. This will be a discussion over the phone
We are thrilled to see the lung health checks programme expand in to a new local area. This allows us to screen more residents and bring the success that we have seen within Southend and Thurrock over to Castle Point and Rochford”.
“The programme has been vital in preventing and treating lung cancer, this is an excellent opportunity for those eligible in Castle Point and Rochford to come forward and receive treatment that will allow them to live a long and health life, free from cancer”.
Dr Donald McGeachy, Cancer Alliance Lead for the programme
If after the telephone assessment patients are deemed high risk, they will receive an offer of a CT scan on a mobile scanning unit which will be available in various locations across Castle Point and Rochford. All participants who are current smokers will also be offered smoking cessation advice and support.
Lung Health Checks