In December 2007 the Cancer Reform Strategy stated that the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme would be extending the age range for screening from April 2010 to invite men and women up to their 75th birthday.
This was reaffirmed by the Coalition Government in Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer [PDF 1Mb].
Five screening centres started implementing the age extension in 2008. As screening centres complete their first two - year screening round they are rolling out the extension, (subject to meeting criteria and subsequent approval by the national office).
By May 2012, 35 of the 58 local screening centres had started inviting the extended population.
- NHS BCSP home page
- Programme publications
- About bowel screening
- Why screen for bowel cancer?
- What is the purpose of bowel cancer screening?
- How is the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme organised?
- Who is eligible for bowel cancer screening?
- Age extension to bowel cancer screening
- How are GPs involved in bowel cancer screening?
- How much does bowel screening cost?
- How does the screening process work?
- What does my bowel cancer screening result mean?
- How does the FOB test work?
- What is a colonoscopy?
- What are the risks of colonoscopy?
- More information about the
screening programme- Who does what in the NHS BCSP?
- List of hubs and screening centres
- NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Evaluation Group
- Bowel cancer
- GP Pack (Information for primary care)
- NHS bowel cancer training centres in England
- The English Bowel Screening Pilot
- Evaluation of English Bowel Screening Pilot
- Evaluation of the second round of the English Bowel Screening Pilot
- Use of patient information
- Frequently asked questions
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy
- Programme news index
- Research in bowel cancer screening
- Useful links