Bowel Cancer UK is delivering a new initiative to boost bowel cancer screening uptake across Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC), where thousands of people are missing the opportunity to detect bowel cancer early.
More than 137,000 eligible people in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) area did not complete their bowel screening test in the most recent two-year screening round (2023-2025).
Just 60.3% of all eligible adults living in Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) completed their test, compared with the Scottish average of 65.2%*, making this one of the lowest participation rates in Scotland.
Health experts are urging people aged 50 to 74 to take part in doing their test, warning that screening is one of the best ways to detect bowel cancer before symptoms develop or remove polyps (non-cancerous growths) that might develop into cancer.
The new 12-month Early Diagnosis Programme will work with communities across GGC where screening uptake is lowest, helping more people understand the importance of the simple test that can be completed at home.
Funded by the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK and NHSGGC, the initiative will be delivered by Bowel Cancer UK and aims to increase participation in screening, reduce inequalities and improve early diagnosis of bowel cancer across these locations.
Jane Short, 53, from Glasgow, is backing the programme after being diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. She received her first bowel screening kit when she turned 50 but didn’t complete the test. Two years later, after noticing changes in her bowel habits and bleeding, she completed an at-home test which led to further investigations. A colonoscopy found a tumour, and scans later revealed the cancer had spread to her liver.
Following chemotherapy and surgery, Jane has now returned to work as a physiotherapy support worker with NHS Scotland and is being monitored with regular scans. Looking back, she wishes she had completed her first screening test and hopes sharing her experience will encourage others to take up their invitation when it arrives.
Jane says: “Getting a cancer diagnosis was probably the worst thing that has ever happened to me. Knowing I’d had the opportunity to do my screening test and didn’t take it is something I’ll always regret. If I can encourage just one person to complete their screening test when it arrives, then sharing my story is worth it. It could make all the difference.”
Earlier diagnosis saves lives, but over four in 10 people living in Scotland are diagnosed with bowel cancer at the later stages (stage 3 and 4). Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in Scotland, however it shouldn’t be because it is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early.
The programme combines community engagement with support for healthcare professionals to help more eligible people complete their bowel cancer screening test. The initiative has a particular focus on reducing inequalities in screening uptake, working with communities where participation is lowest to raise awareness, build confidence and provide trusted information, helping to improve early diagnosis rates and ultimately save lives.
Activities include:
- Community events and awareness activities
- An advertising campaign to raise awareness of the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
- Education for healthcare professionals to support earlier diagnosis
New research from YouGov, commissioned by Bowel Cancer UK, reveals some of the barriers facing people in Glasgow when it comes to taking part in screening. This includes being too frightened of what the home screening test might find (9%), forgetting to do the test (9%), and not having any symptoms of bowel cancer (5%)**.
Bowel cancer screening is available every two years to people aged 50–74 in Scotland who are registered with a GP, using an easy at-home test that is returned by post.
Andy Glyde, Strategy, Impact and Insight Lead at Bowel Cancer UK, says: “Too many people are missing the opportunity to find bowel cancer early, when treatment can be more successful and lives can be saved.
“We know there are many reasons why people may not complete their screening test, from worries about what the test might find to simply forgetting to return it. This new programme will work alongside communities in Greater Glasgow and Clyde to break down those barriers, build confidence in screening and help more people take this simple but vital step for their health.”
Dr Alison Potts, Consultant in Public Health at the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board, says: “We know that increasing participation in bowel cancer screening is key to improving outcomes for people across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
“By working with Bowel Cancer UK and local communities, we can help ensure more people understand the benefits of screening and feel supported to take part. Detecting bowel cancer earlier gives people the best possible chance of successful treatment, and this programme is an important step towards achieving that.”
Bowel Cancer UK is encouraging people living in Greater Glasgow and Clyde to get involved with the programme by volunteering at events, sharing their experiences of bowel cancer, or raising awareness within the community.
For more information about bowel cancer symptoms and how to get involved in the programme, visit www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/edp-greater-glasgow-and-clyde/
