Bowel screening is offered to people aged 50 to 74 across Scotland to help find bowel cancer early, when it can often be cured.
About bowel screening
Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Scotland. Around 4,000 people in Scotland get bowel cancer every year.
You will be invited to complete the bowel screening test if you:
- are 50 to 74 years old
- are living in Scotland
- haven't been screened in the last 2 years
If you’re 75 or over, you can still take a bowel screening test every 2 years. However, you’ll need to request a new test kit each time as the Scottish Bowel Screening Centre won't send you one.
Your screening invitation
You may not receive your kit on the expected date. This is because there was a pause in the bowel screening programme because of the pandemic.
Invitation dates have been moved back to make sure everybody can be screened. For example, if you expected your kit in September 2021, you’ll now receive it in April 2022. After this, your invitation will return to a 2 year cycle and your next invitation would be April 2024. This is to make sure everyone receives their kit in turn and that no one is missed.
Collecting your sample
Do
- make sure you fill in the label at the top of your letter and stick it to your kit, before posting
Don't
- do not insert the test kit into your body
After the test
After returning the test, the Scottish Bowel Screening Centre will send you the results within 2 weeks.
You will receive 1 of 2 results:
- no further investigation needed
- further investigation needed
For every 500 people who take the test, only 10 will need to go for further investigation. Of these 10, only one will have bowel cancer.
Further information and other languages and formats
Information in other languages and formats.
For alternative formats, please contact phs.otherformats@phs.scot