This survey is for anyone who has been offered screening, whether you accepted the offer or not.
All information is given anonymously. Please give as much detail as you can to answer the questions. If you would like any advice, information or support filling out the survey please call us on 01332 643988 or email info@healthwatchderby.co.uk
Screening programmes aim to find early signs of cancer in people who don’t yet have any symptoms. Finding cancer early means it could be treated in time to reduce the risk of it spreading and causing any further problems.
The NHS invites all eligible people to have a test to find out if they are at risk. In the UK there are national screening programmes for bowel, breast and cervical cancer. A targeted lung cancer screening programme is also rolling out.
Bowel screening: Offered every two years to eligible individuals (expanding to cover ages 50 to 74). You use a home test kit (faecal immunochemical test or FIT) to send a tiny stool sample off for laboratory analysis. People aged 75 and over can request a kit by calling 0800 707 6060.
Breast screening: Offered via mammogram every three years to women registered with a GP aged 50 to 70. Those over 70 can self-refer by contacting their local breast screening unit or GP.
Cervical screening: Offered to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64. Tests are usually scheduled every three years for ages 25 to 49 and every five years for ages 50 to 64, to check for human papillomavirus (HPV).
Lung cancer screening: Targeted lung health checks are available in selected regions for individuals aged 55 to 74 with a history of smoking.
The NHS also offers the following screening where relevant:
Screening in pregnancy: The screening tests offered in pregnancy are screening for hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis (infectious diseases), screening for Down's syndrome, Patau's syndrome and Edwards' syndrome, screening for sickle cell and thalassaemia, 20-week screening scan to check the physical development of the baby and diabetic eye screening – available if you are pregnant and have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Screening for newborn babies: Newborn babies are offered a physical examination, which includes the eyes, heart, hips and testicles, hearing screening and a blood spot test to check if the baby has any of nine rare conditions.
Diabetic eye screening: From the age of 12, all people with diabetes are offered regular diabetic eye screening to check for early signs of diabetic retinopathy.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening: AAA screening is offered to men when they turn 65 to detect abdominal aortic aneurysms (a dangerous swelling in the aorta). Men over 65 can self-refer.
