National Bowel Screening Programme
National Bowel Screening Programme resources including the clinical Zoom recording and quick reference guide for primary healthcare teams.
In the BPAC search bar type 'FIT' to display the correct referral (National Bowel Screening FIT Positive).
It is not only important to refer participants through to the hospital but just as important to do the same referral if the participant wants to be seen privately. This will ensure the participant receives suitable access to care, and means information can be updated and the loop closed knowing the participant has been followed up.
Using the correct eReferral also triggers the $69 (inc GST) payment to the practice.
For more details on the Bowel Screening programme see your region's programme page (Waikato, Lakes, Taranaki, Tairāwhiti).
Updates
How the screening process works
The National Bowel Screening Programme will send out a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit in the mail every two years to those in the eligible age range.
When it’s the participant’s turn to be screened, they will receive an invitation letter, a consent form, and a free bowel screening kit.
The free test is quick, clean and simple for people to do by themselves at home.
The kit will last up to six months if the seal is unbroken, giving people time to discuss it with friends, family or your doctor and to complete it in their own time.
Once the seal is broken it should be used as soon as possible because it needs to arrive at the laboratory for testing within eight days of being completed. The kit can be sent in the post using the prepaid protective envelope.
Participants will then be sent a letter with the result of the test. If negative, nothing further needs to be done until it's time to do the kit again in two years.
If positive, the participant's GP will be in contact to arrange a free appointment to discuss the result and the next steps.
Most people with a positive test have a pre-cancer rather than a cancer and have a high chance of successful treatment.
Bowel screening is not right for everyone, including those who:
- have symptoms of bowel cancer
- have had a colonoscopy within the last five years
- are on a bowel polyp or bowel cancer surveillance programme
- have had, or are currently being treated for, bowel cancer
- have had their large bowel removed
- have ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease that is currently active
- are seeing a doctor about bowel problems.
Clinical Zoom recording
Te Aho o te Kahu reports on cancer outcomes
Te Aho o te Kahu reports on cancer outcomes, including bowel cancer, can be viewed via the link below. In summary the bowel cancer screening programme has led to an improvement in survival and higher rates of diagnosis, but there is more work to do to improve outcomes for Māori.
For more information
Clinical Director