Cancer screening
Early diagnosis saves lives
There are 4 national cancer screening programmes in the UK:
- Cervical screening
- Bowel cancer screening
- Breast cancer screening
- Lung cancer Screening
The NHS Screening Timeline (PDF 1.31 MB - new window) shows when people in England are offered screening tests at different stages of life, from pregnancy through to adulthood. This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. For printed copies email West Sussex Public Health.
You will only be invited if you are registered with a GP. If you are not registered, you can find a local GP on the NHS website.
Videos on the NHS website explain more about NHS Screening for both men and women.
Cervical screening
The NHS offers cervical screening to check the health of your cervix and help prevent cervical cancer. The test looks for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause changes in the cells of the cervix that may develop into cancer.
You will usually be invited for cervical screening if you are aged 25 to 64, every 5 years. Anyone with a cervix should attend their screening appointment. If you are over 65 and have never had cervical screening, you can speak to your GP about arranging a test.
Finding and treating changes early can prevent most cases of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer mainly affects women and people with a cervix under the age of 45, but abnormal changes can happen at any age.
Symptoms are not always obvious, so it is important to attend your screening when invited and speak to your GP if you notice anything unusual.
Cervical screening saves thousands of lives each year in the UK.
More information can be found on the NHS website.
HPV vaccine
The HPV vaccine protects against a common virus linked to several cancers, including cervical cancer.
It is offered to:
- Children aged 12 to 13 (school year 8)
- Young people who missed it (free on the NHS up to age 24 if eligible)
Contact your GP or the Sussex School Immunisation Service if you missed your vaccine.
More information about the HPV vaccine can be found on the NHS website.
Bowel cancer screening
Bowel cancer is one of the UK’s biggest cancer killers, but it is treatable and often curable if found early.
The NHS offers bowel cancer screening to check for signs of bowel cancer and help detect it early. It is offered to people aged 50 to 74, who are sent a home screening kit (FIT kit) every 2 years.
The test is simple and involves collecting a small poo sample at home and sending it to a laboratory for testing.
If you notice symptoms or changes that concern you, do not ignore them — speak to your GP.
More information about bowel cancer screening and how to complete the test can be found on the NHS website.
You cannot always prevent bowel cancer, but there are things you can do to lower your chance of getting it.
Our Wellbeing advisors can help address these lifestyle issues - visit our Contact us page for details of your local Wellbeing team.
Breast cancer screening
Around 1 in 8 women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
The NHS offers breast cancer screening to women aged 50 to 70 who are registered with a GP. Women are invited for screening every 3 years.
Breast screening uses an X-ray called a mammogram to detect breast cancer early, including when it is too small to see or feel and before any symptoms appear. More information about breast screening can be found on the NHS website.
It's important to check your breasts regularly so you know what's normal for you. This makes it easier to notice any changes in the size, look or feel of your breasts. Visit the NHS website for more information.