St Mark’s Hospital Endoscopy Unit became a nominated and chosen site for the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme through a rigorous accreditation programme. St Mark’s Bowel Cancer Screening Centre covers Hillingdon, Harrow, Brent & North Ealing.
All men and women aged 60–74
People registered with a GP will be automatically offered a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) every two years.
The programme is expanding to include 56 year olds in 2021. By 2024 everyone aged between 50–74 will be invited.
Around 98% will receive a normal result. Around 2% of people will receive an abnormal/positive result. They will be referred to see the Specialist Bowel Screening Nurse at St Mark’s Hospital to discuss and arrange a colonoscopy.
All men and women aged 75 and over
Biennial screening using FIT available on request from the Screening Hub using the free helpline on 08007076060.
Why screen for bowel cancer and who is covered?
About 1 in 20 people in the UK will develop bowel cancer during their lifetime. It is the third most common cancer in the UK, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths, with over 16,000 people dying from it each year. St Mark’s Bowel Cancer Screening Centre covers Hillingdon, Harrow, Brent & North Ealing. Click here to find out more
What happens next?
The test works by detecting tiny amounts of blood which cannot normally be seen in bowel motions. People who receive an abnormal result will be offered an appointment with a Specialist Nurse. The nurse will explain what a colonoscopy involves, assess the patient’s fitness for the procedure, and answer any questions. Click here to find out more about the screening process
Patient stories
Mr Patel, the ex-Mayor of Brent, explains his recent experience of bowel cancer screening and why it is important to carry out the home screening test sent every two years once you reach the age of 60.
“It’s a very simple process, I did not suffer any pain or discomfort, and it did not take much time. And they found it. They confirmed it is there. When you receive a test kit in the post, you must act on it immediately.” Click here to view our patient stories