Screening

Screening is a way of identifying apparnetly healthy people who may have an icreased risk of a particular condition. The NHS offers a range of screening tests to different sections of the population. 

The aim is to offer screening to the people who are most likely to benefit from it. For example, some screening tests are only offered to newborn babies, while others such as breast screening and abdominal aortic aneurysm screening are only offered to older people.

Questions about symptoms

Submit an Anima or telephone the Surgery if you have any concerns about your health or need to ask about a family history of cancer.

By law, everyone working in, or on behalf of, the NHS must respect your privacy and keep all information about you safe. The NHS Constitution sets out how the NHS should handle your records to protect your privacy. There are also laws in place to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.

Screening records are only shared with staff who need to see them, such as technicians carrying out screening, your GP and any clinicians involved in follow-up tests and treatment. They are also shared with the Government who uses them to check that local screening services are safe and effective. Screening records are sometimes also shared with researchers looking at how to improve the screening programmes.

Read more about national population screening programmes and the information NHS England uses and why on GOV.UK

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
• diabetic eye screening – available if you are pregnant and have type 1 or type 2 diabetes

Newborn babies are offered:

• a physical examination, which includes the eyes, heart, hips and testicles
• hearing screening
• a blood spot test to check if the baby has any of 9 rare conditions

From the age of 12, all people with diabetes are offered regular diabetic eye screening to check for early signs of diabetic retinopathy.

Cervical screening is offered to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 every 5 years, or sooner if advised, to check the health of cells in the cervix.

Breast screening is offered to women aged 50 to 70 to detect early signs of breast cancer. Women over 70 can self refer.

Everyone aged 50 to 74 is offered a bowel cancer screening home test kit every 2 years.

If you're 75 or over, you can ask for a kit every 2 years by phoning the free bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 6060.

Lung health checks to find out how well your lungs are working, and check for cancer, are available in some parts of England.

If you're aged 55 to 74 and have ever smoked, you may be contacted by your GP or a local NHS service to take part in lung cancer 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.