Lung MOTs to be offered to more people in Rochdale including Littleborough and Milnrow

Smokers and former smokers aged 55-74 years registered at a number of doctors’ surgeries in Rochdale, Milnrow and Littleborough will be invited for a lung health check this autumn.

The quick, free checks can help find lung cancer at an early stage – before you might have any symptoms – when it is much more treatable and help save lives.

Most visitors to the lung health checks will get reassurance that everything is OK or be referred to get help to stop smoking.

The checks are available to current or former cigarette or shisha smokers, aged 55-74 registered at the following GP practices:

• Pennine Primary Care Network
• Milnrow Village Practice
• Littleborough Group Practice
• Pennine Surgery
• Stonefield Street Surgery
• The Village Medical Centre
• Trinity Medical Centre
• The Bridge Primary Care Network
• Dr Gwd Bhima
• Croft Shifa Health Centre
• The Dale Medical Practice
• Dr Mb Ghafoor & Partners

Patients who are invited for a lung health check will firstly talk to specialist nurse where they will answer some health and lifestyle questions which will determine whether they are ‘high’ or ‘low’ risk.

If deemed high risk, they will be offered a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan of their lungs for further investigation on the same day and be enrolled into the programme.

The mobile clinic will be based at the Morrisons store on Kingsway, Rochdale from 23 October.

Dr Carolyn Walker, a GP and Primary Care Cancer Lead for Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, said: “Our Lung Health Checks help the NHS to spot any lung cancer symptoms earlier, when it is much more treatable.

“If you’re registered with a doctor mentioned on the list from the Rochdale area, are a smoker or used to smoke either cigarettes or shisha, you’ll be sent an invite through the post or via text message.

“Please do come along for your appointment. You’ll have a chat with a nurse and fill out a questionnaire to look at your risk. About half of the people who visit may also need a low-dose scan which we will also do on the truck.

“It will most likely offer you some reassurance. But it could save your life!”

The Lung Health checks in this new part of Rochdale are the latest phase of the Greater Manchester Targeted Lung Health Check Programme – a drive to help improve earlier diagnosis of lung cancer and save more lives. The programme is jointly organised by the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

Lung Health Checks have recently been running in Heywood, Middleton as well as other parts of Rochdale and Greater Manchester. There are plans to expand the programme further in the coming months and years to ensure that all eligible participants are invited.

So far more than 650 patients have been diagnosed with lung cancer as a result of the Lung Health Checks in Greater Manchester, however, almost 80% of these patients were diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 meaning they were more likely to be eligible for curative treatment.

People diagnosed with lung cancer at the earliest stage are nearly 20 times more likely to survive for five years than those whose cancer is caught late.

Patients will be contacted by letter or via text message.

• For more information on the Targeted Lung Health Check programme please visit: mft.nnhs.uk/lunghealthcheck
• If received your invitation but missed your appointment, call 0161 529 0900 to rebook
• If you have concerning symptoms you should speak to your GP who will be able to refer you for tests if needed.