Cancer Screening – We Give a FIT
Don’t wait for screening if you have symptoms
If you notice any of the following, please contact us straight away – even if you have recently done a FIT test or are waiting for your kit:
- blood in your poo or bleeding from your bottom
- a change in your toilet habits, such as going more often or looser poo
- unexplained weight loss
- tummy pain or a lump in your tummy that won’t go away
Contact us via GP Triage or call 01934 622665.
About our project
This year we are running a focused project to proactively contact patients who have been invited to complete a FIT test but have not yet responded.
We know that people living in some parts of our community are less likely to take part in bowel screening, often because of the barriers they face. We want to change that, so we are focusing our support on the areas where it is needed most.
Rather than just sending another letter, a member of our team may telephone you to:
- talk you through how to do the test and answer any questions you may have
- help you send your kit back
- order a replacement kit for you if yours has been lost, thrown away or has expired
What is a FIT test?
A FIT test (Faecal Immunochemical Test) is a simple, at-home test that checks a small sample of your poo for tiny traces of blood that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
How it works
- Collection: You use the small stick provided in the kit to take a tiny sample of your poo at home.
- Testing: You post the sample to a laboratory in the envelope provided.
- Detection: The laboratory checks the sample for tiny traces of human blood that you would not be able to see.
Why it is done
- Screening: It helps to catch early signs of bowel cancer, or small growths called polyps, before they cause problems. Finding bowel cancer early makes it much easier to treat.
- Symptoms: Doctors also use the test to check whether stomach or bowel symptoms (such as tummy pain or a change in toilet habits) might be caused by bleeding in your digestive system.
- Next steps: A positive result (blood found) does not mean you definitely have cancer. It means you will need a closer look, usually with a test called a colonoscopy.
Have you been sent a kit but not done it yet? It is not too late. If you have any questions, would like someone to talk it through with you, or need a replacement kit, please contact us and we will order one for you. Get in touch via GP Triage or call 01934 622665.
More information is available on the NHS website: Bowel cancer screening - NHS.