Tackling bowel cancer

Local community and mental health services provider Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust will soon take responsibility for helping to tackle bowel cancer right across Greater Manchester.

On 1 April, the Greater Manchester Bowel Cancer Screening team will join Pennine Care from its current home at NHS Bolton, after the trust submitted a successful bid to host the service.

The team is responsible for working closely with people aged 60 to 69 years across the area, who are eligible for free bowel cancer testing, to encourage them to complete the test every two years.

Evidence shows that regular screening helps to save people’s lives and the team plays an important role in promoting this and providing reassurance around the screening process and the test itself.

The team of five will be based within Pennine Care’s Health Improvement Service and will continue to work right across Greater Manchester.

Pennine Care will support the team to grow from strength to strength using its proven track record of strong leadership and good partnership working and its existing relationships with people in more deprived areas, where take up of the screening is generally lower.

Val Little, Clinical Network Manager, said: “I’m delighted that the team will soon be joining our strong Health Improvement Service.

“Catching bowel cancer early significantly increases the chances of successfully treating it, which is why the NHS offers regular screening to people in their sixties, who are statistically more likely to develop the disease.

“However, we know that many people aren’t aware of the benefits of screening, or are apprehensive about taking the test, so it’s important that we get out there and speak to them.

“I’m looking forward to working with the team and using our combined skills and experience to tackle bowel cancer head on.”

Melanie Ripley, Bowel Screening Team Manager and Clinical Lead for the Oldham Cancer Family History Service, said: “I have worked with one of the team members on a past project and was impressed with their dedication and commitment. I know this is shared among the team as a whole and look forward to working closely with them.

“One of the key parts of my role within the Cancer Family History Service is to promote the importance of bowel cancer screening, so it’s great that the two will be working hand in hand from April onwards.”

The Bowel Cancer Screening Programme involves people completing a test in the comfort of their own home, which is sent to them through the post along with step-by-step instructions. They return the test free of charge for analysis and receive the results within two weeks.

The test is able to detect very small amounts of blood contained in faeces, which might be a symptom of bowel cancer. If blood is found, the person is sent for further tests and treatment, if necessary.

People aged 60 to 69 years will automatically receive an invitation to take part in the screening programme every two years – however it’s important that they ensure their GP has up to date contact details for them.

The age range of the programme is in the process of being extended to 74 years. In the meantime, people aged 70 years and above can request a test by phoning 0800 707 60 60.

In between tests, it’s important that people are aware of possible bowel cancer symptoms which include: persistent change in bowel habit, especially going to the toilet more often or diarrhoea for several weeks; bleeding from the back passage; abdominal pain, especially if it is severe; and a lump in their abdomen. People with these symptoms should make an appointment with their GP.

Find out more about the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme and about the disease at http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/bowel/index.html