Current and former cigarette and shisha smokers aged 55-74 years based at doctors’ surgeries in parts of Rochdale and Middleton will be invited for a lung health check this summer.
The quick, free checks can help find lung cancer at an early stage – before you might have any symptoms – when it is much more treatable and help save lives.
Most visitors to the lung health checks will get reassurance that everything is OK or be referred to get help to stop smoking.
The will checks are available to current or former shisha or cigarette smokers, aged 55-74
based at the following GP practices:
Rochdale:
- Wellfield Health Centre
- Castleton Health Centre
- The Kingsway Practice
- Kirkholt Medical Practice
- Dr A Hamid
Middleton:
- The Hive Health Centre
- Middleton Health Centre
- Peterloo Medical Centre
- The Junction Surgery
- Woodside Medical Centre
- Rochdale Road Medical Centre
- Durnford Medical Centre
- Windermere Surgery
Patients who are invited for a lung health check will firstly talk to specialist nurse where they will answer some health and lifestyle questions which will determine whether they are ‘high’ or ‘low’ risk.
If deemed high risk, they will be offered a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan of their lungs for further investigation on the same day and be enrolled into the programme.
Dr Carolyn Walker, a GP and Primary Care Cancer Lead for Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, said: “Our 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 Rochdale or Middleton area, are a smoker or used to smoke either shish or cigarettes, 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 truck.
“It will most likely offer you some reassurance. But it could save your life!”
The Lung Health checks in Rochdale and Middleton are the latest phase of the Greater Manchester Targeted Lung Health Check Programme – a drive to help improve earlier diagnosis of lung cancer and save more lives. The programme is jointly organised by the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. Lung Health Checks have recently been running in Heywood as well as other parts of Greater Manchester. There are plans to expand the programme further in the coming months and years to ensure that all eligible participants are invited.
So far more than 500 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.
People will be contacted by letter or via text message.
For more information on the Targeted Lung Health Check programme please visit www.mft.nnhs.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/
