Millions more people are now benefiting from lifesaving bowel screening compared with a decade ago, and the NHS is urging even more people to take part.
Almost 7 million people had bowel screening from the NHS in 2024/25, up from about 4.7 million in 2014/15. Since the programme began around 20 years ago, almost 85 million people have been screened and 70,000 cancers detected. A further 270,000 people have been placed under regular surveillance after screening indicated they may be at higher risk.
The NHS has expanded and improved bowel screening since it started in 2006 for people in their 60s; the test is now offered to those aged 50 to 74. Uptake has risen from about half of people aged 60 to 74 two decades ago to more than seven in 10 last year. The NHS sends roughly 8.7 million home-testing kits a year.
The kit, called the faecal immunochemical test (FIT), checks for blood in a small stool sample, which can be a sign of bowel cancer. FIT kits are completed at home by putting a small stool sample into a tube and returning it by post for testing.
The National Cancer Plan for England, published earlier this year, commits to delivering 17,000 earlier diagnoses by 2035 and to saving almost 6,000 lives through the home-testing programme. England’s National Clinical Director for Cancer has urged people to take up screening when invited.
Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, said: “The NHS has transformed bowel screening over the last 2 decades, making it easier than ever before for people’s cancer to be picked up, and the sooner it is spotted the easier it is to treat. And thanks to the fantastic work of Dame Deborah James we’ve seen a big jump in the number of people taking up the offer of bowel screening. Bowel cancer has become more common in recent years, and anyone aged between 50 and 74-years-old should be regularly tested, so the NHS will send you a test when you’re eligible that takes just minutes to do from the comfort of your home. There is no need to be embarrassed – a simple poo test could be the difference between enjoying many more years with your loved ones, or having your life cut short by bowel cancer. For anyone experiencing symptoms such as blood in their poo or severe stomach pain, no matter their age, you can speak to your GP and get it checked out as soon as possible, as well as completing your screening test when invited.”
Grace, 54, from Cornwall, who received a home-testing kit, said: “I truly believe the NHS Bowel Screening Programme saved my life.” She described receiving her FIT kit in the post and called it “the most important post you ever receive.” After sending in her sample she was contacted within a week by a nurse at Royal Cornwall Hospital because her test found traces of blood, and she was referred for a colonoscopy. She said she was shocked by the diagnosis and that managing a stoma is a constant reminder, but she was fortunate the cancer was found early and treated. Her husband’s screening six months earlier had been normal. Her message: do the test—“You have nothing to lose, and it could be the most important post you receive.”
Minister for Public Health Sharon Hodgson said: “Bowel cancer screening prevents thousands of unnecessary deaths every single year, and this progress shows what can be achieved when the NHS focuses on catching cancer earlier. Through the National Cancer Plan for England we are determined to boost early diagnosis, transform screening and ensure more people get the right treatment at the right time. I urge everyone who receives a home testing kit to use it – it takes just minutes and could save your life.”
Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive of Bowel Cancer UK, added: “The NHS has done a huge amount to encourage people to take part in screening for bowel cancer, but we’d love to see even more people taking the test when they’re sent it. Bowel cancer is the UK’s fourth most common cancer, but it is treatable and curable, especially when diagnosed early. Screening is one of the best ways to spot the disease early or remove polyps that might develop into cancer, so please do take the test when you’re eligible for it. Whatever your age, if you’re experiencing symptoms of bowel cancer like bleeding from your bottom, blood in your poo or a change in your pooing habits, please contact your GP to ask for an at-home test.”
