Bowel screening pilot

A bowel screening programme is to be rolled out nationally, thanks to the success of Waitemata District Health Board’s BowelScreening pilot which has been running since 2012.

In this year’s budget it was announced that a national bowel screening programme will start next year with Hutt Valley and Wairarapa DHBs. This will be followed by a progressive roll-out across the country.

Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman said once fully in place, the programme is expected to screen over 700,000 people every two years.

DHBs will offer people aged 60 to 74 a bowel screening test every two years. More than 80 per cent of cancers found through the pilot were in those aged 60 to 74.

The BowelScreening pilot’s programme manager, Gaye Tozer, said many people are wondering what the national roll-out will mean for the people of Waitemata.

‘‘The BowelScreening pilot will continue to the end of 2017 and eligible Waitemata residents aged between 50 and 74 will still be invited,’’ she said.

‘‘The pilot will then transition to the national bowel screening model which means that from January 2018 onwards, only eligible people aged 60 to 74 years will receive an invitation. However Waitemata people aged between 50 and 60 years who have already participated will continue to be invited, until they turn 75 years.’’

People living in the Waitemata DHB area who have not turned 50 years of age by the end of the pilot in 2017, and have not been invited to participate in the pilot, will now have to wait to be screened until they turn 60 and become eligible for screening as part of the national bowel screening programme.

If you have not received an invitation, or you have moved house, please phone 0800 924 432, text YES to 3022 or visit www.bowelscreeningwaitemata.co.nz

See your doctor now if you have any bowel symptoms that concern you.