By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
A mass cancer screening service which has already found 26 cases in people in West Nottinghamshire is now launching in Nottingham city.
The Targeted Lung Health Checks (TLHC) is a new national programme aimed at smokers to try to catch cancers early and improve survival rates.
The programme, aimed at people who are aged between 55 and 74, will also encourage people to quit.
It has already launched in Mansfield and Ashfield, where it has led to 26 previously undetected cancer cases being diagnosed since March 2021.
The project has one of the highest uptake rates in the country at approximately 70 per cent, and there are now plans to expand the service into Nottingham city with new NHS England funding.
It will be ‘soft launched’ in October at a handful of places first, including GP practices in Clifton and the Meadows.
Nottinghamshire County Council’s health scrutiny committee will discuss the project during its health and well-being board meeting on September 7.
In Mansfield and Ashfield, 10,000 lung health telephone assessments have taken place and more 4,500 scans have been carried out.
As of 19th July 2022, 26 cancers have been diagnosed, including 23 cases of lung cancer, two of urology cancer and one lower gastrointestinal cancer.
Of these, 50 per cent were diagnosed early, at either stages one or two.
Mobile CT scanners have also been taken to supermarkets and leisure centres, to make the service as accessible as possible.
More than 300 current smokers have been referred to the local smoking cessation service.
After the service’s initial launch, all eligible patients registered with a GP practice in Nottingham City will be invited for checks in the coming months.
