Promotional poster by NHS and Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation featuring two individuals smiling and conversing at a cafe, with text encouraging lung cancer screening for people aged 55-74 who have ever smoked.

Current and former smokers who are registered with a GP in Partington and Urmston will be offered an ‘MOT for their lungs’ from mid-June.

The NHS will be offering free Lung Health Checks which can help find lung cancer at an early stage when it is much more treatable to help save lives.

The Princess Royal was shown several demonstrations of typical prehabilitation assessments and interventions and heard first-hand the impact this programme is having on patients’ physical and mental wellbeing in the lead up to and after cancer treatment. She also heard how the programme adapted to a virtual delivery model during the Covi-19 pandemic to ensure patients awaiting cancer treatment continued to receive this support.

The quick checks are for people who smoke or have smoked cigarettes and who are aged 55-74 years old.

The checks are currently available for eligible people registered with the following groups of GP practices in Urmston and Partington which make up the Trafford West Primary Care Network:

  • Urmston Group Practice – M41 8AA
  • Davyhulme Medical Centre – M41 7WJ
  • Primrose Surgery – M41 7AB
  • Partington Central Surgery – M31 4FL
  • Partington Family Practice – M31 4FL
  • Flixton Road Medical Centre – M41 5BG

Eligible people will be invited by post or via text message when the lung health checks are in their area. They will then visit a mobile clinic which is usually parked at a supermarket car park or in a community location.

Lung Health Checks are being rolled out across Greater Manchester based on where they are needed most in a drive to help improve earlier diagnosis of lung cancer. They are due to come to more areas of Trafford and Greater Manchester in the future.

Dr James Hider, a GP at Partington Family Practice, said: “Lung Health Checks help the NHS to spot any lung cancer symptoms earlier, when it is much more treatable.

“If you’re registered with a doctor mentioned on the list from the Partington or Urmston area, are a smoker or used to smoke, you’ll be sent an invite through the post or via text message.

“Please do come along for your appointment. You’ll have a chat with a nurse and fill out a questionnaire to look at your risk. About half of the people who visit may also need a low-dose scan which we will also do on the mobile clinic.

“It will most likely offer you some reassurance. But it could save your life!”

Lung Cancer Screening is jointly organised by the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

The Lung Health Checks are due to begin for people in Partington and Urmston from early July. If you can’t make your initial appointment slot you can just call the booking line to rearrange.

So far more than 900 patients have been diagnosed with lung cancer as a result of the Lung Health Checks in Greater Manchester, however, almost 80% of these patients were diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 meaning they were more likely to be eligible for curative treatment.

People diagnosed with lung cancer at the earliest stage are nearly 20 times more likely to survive for five years than those whose cancer is caught late.

For more information about Lung Cancer Screening, please visit www.mft.nhs.uk/lunghealthcheck

If you have concerning symptoms you should speak to your GP who will be able to refer you for tests if needed. You can read about symptoms of lung cancer here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lung-cancer/symptoms