Posted on: 11 February 2025
Lung health checks, part of the lung cancer screening programme, are being rolled out to eligible people in Keighley and Craven to help detect lung cancer sooner through the NHS mobile CT scanning service.
Finding and treating lung cancer earlier saves lives. More than 9000 people have been offered lung health checks in Bradford District so far, with 32 cancers detected and now the programme is expanding to Keighley and Craven.
Lung health checks have been offered to 38 Bradford GP practices since 2019, and Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership has announced 30 more practices will be inviting eligible people from February 2025. This means lung health checks will be available to eligible people across Bradford District and Craven.
Lung health checks are offered to people who are aged between 55-74 and are smokers or ex-smokers. Following an initial phone call, those most at risk from lung cancer are then invited for a lung scan at a mobile CT unit in their local area.
Smoking causes more than seven in ten lung cancer cases in the UK. Previous trials have shown that CT screening reduced lung cancer mortality by 26% in men and up to 61% in women. The roll out of the lung health check programme is being phased across GP practices, so not all practices will be involved at the same time. Anyone eligible will be contacted by the NHS, people are being asked to wait until they receive their invite.
Dr Sohail Abbas, Population Health and Inequalities Director at Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, said: “People who face deprivation due to lower income, education, employment and other factors often have difficulty in accessing services and have poorer health outcomes. These health checks are in the heart of these communities helping people to access them.
“These CT scans also help to identify other respiratory conditions, helping people to access treatment earlier and find conditions they may not have known about. This can help communities by finding and treating those otherwise not detected. More than 1900 people with undiagnosed conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were identified during phase one of the pilot, which ended in 2023.
“If you are invited for a lung health check, please take up the appointment – it’s a quick, easy and painless scan and it takes no more than 20 minutes. Early diagnosis can make lung cancer more treatable and make treatment more successful.”
Jason Pawluk, Programme Director of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance, said: “Everyone who is eligible for a lung health check will be invited for one. The process is very straightforward, and appointments will be in your local area.
“These lung health checks are saving lives by detecting lung cancer sometimes before there are signs or symptoms. Lung cancer often has no signs or symptoms. Detecting it early can be the key to successful treatment. More than 6 in 10 people survive cancer for 5 years or more if diagnosed at an earlier stage. If treatment is needed it is more effective to start it earlier.
“It is important that if you spot any signs of cancer, like a long-standing cough that gets worse or persistent breathlessness, please come forward to your GP – getting checked could save your life.”
Symptoms of lung cancer, can include:
- a cough that does not go away after 3 weeks
- an existing cough that changes or gets worse
- chest infections that keep coming back
- coughing up blood
- being short of breath a lot
- unexplained tiredness
- an ache or pain when breathing or coughing
- loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss
People experiencing any of these symptoms should contact their GP practice.
For support and resources for stopping smoking visit www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/. To find out more information about lung health checks visit www.lunghealthcheckaware.co.uk