A large white truck housing the Targeted Lung Health Check truck parked in a car park in Greater Manchester. Words on the side of the truck are the words: "Targeted Lung Health Check Programme" and "Catching lung cancer early can make a big difference. For more information please come inside and talk to our team."

Smokers and former smokers aged 55-74 years based at doctors’ surgeries in parts of Whitefield, Unsworth and Besses 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 Lung Health Checks are coming to Whitefield from mid-September

The checks are currently in the process of being rolled out across Greater Manchester. Checks will be available to current or former shisha or cigarette smokers, aged 55-74 based at the following GP practices, in the Whitefield Primary Care Network, from mid September:

  • The Uplands Medical Practice
  • Blackford House Medical Centre
  • Unsworth Medical Centre
  • The Elms Medical Centre

Patients who fit the criteria will be invited for a lung health check. If the time is not convenient, please do not worry as the team will be happy to rebook you. Please call 0161 529 0900 to rebook.

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.

Dr Liane Harris, a GP and Cancer Lead for Bury, said: “These free 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, are a smoker or used to smoke either shisha, cigar or cigarettes, you’ll be sent an invite through the post or via text message.”

Dr Rebecca Hudson, cancer lead of Whitefield Primary Care Network, said: “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!”

These new Lung Health checks 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. The checks will be rolled out further in the coming months and years to ensure that all eligible participants are invited.

So far more than 600 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.

Further information

  • Patients 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 received your invitation but missed your appointment, please call 0161 529 0900 to rebook.
  • 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/