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THE NATIONAL BOWEL cancer screening programme will be introduced on a phased basis from the end of this year, Minister for Health, James Reilly TD, announced today.
Fine Gael Limerick TD, Patrick O’Donovan, has welcomed confirmation from the minister, saying:
Bowel cancer accounts for almost 1,000 deaths in Ireland every year. The introduction of a national screening programme has been delayed on a number of occasions, but I am glad to receive confirmation from the Minister for Health that roll-out will begin in the final quarter of this year, delivering on a Government commitment to introduce bowel cancer screening in 2012.
He said that screening for bowel cancer “has proven to be effective on two fronts; it provides early detection and therefore earlier and more effective treatment, and it helps to prevent cancer in the first place by detecting pre-cancerous growths such as polyps”.
The National Colorectal Screening Programme was due to be introduced in January of this year, but was delayed until mid-2012, the National Cancer Screening Service said in September of last year.
It said that the delay was caused by a need to “ensure the quality assurance standards can be met”, and also a need to reach fully quality assured status.
Programme
Deputy O’Donovan noted that under the programme, free screening will be offered to men and women aged 55-74 every two years.
As 50 per cent of cancers within this age group are found in people aged 60-69, the programme will begin with this age cohort. This accounts for about half a million people. The programme will also be the first to include screening for men.
Deputy O’Donovan said he understands that planning is “well underway” within the HSE’s National Cancer Screening Service to ensure the right services are in place to support the introduction and expansion of the screening programme.
Minister Reilly has said the focus will be on improving quality and access at all publicly-funded screening colonoscopy units, not just for those referred for colonoscopy as part of the screening programme, but for all men and women who require a colonoscopy or any other diagnostic endoscopic procedure.
He added that 15 candidate colonoscopy units have been identified around the country to support the screening programme and an academic partner has been identified to provide training to clinical nurse specialists.
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Brilliant idea…glad that they are bringing this forward and not waiting until next year to get this programme started. I’m sure that by doing this, it will save many lives from being lost to this terrible disease.
This is good news and sounds like it is going to have everything properly in place before roll out. In the meantime people need to be aware of the symptoms to be on the lookout for.
Change in bowel motions. (diarrhoea, constipation)
Feeling of bowel still being full even after bowel motion.
Discomfort/pain in abdomen.
Weight loss.
Tired and breathlessness.
Rectal bleeding, blood in stools.
Lump in abdominal area.
In all cases, a swift visit to your GP is needed if symptoms don’t alleviate after 4-6 weeks, it may not be bowel cancer, it may be something else, but let your GP be the decider of that.
As always, if you’re not happy with your GP’s decision, go for a second opinion, your GP’s word is not final.
Please don’t post replies about how you went to your GP and he misdiagnosed you because you had the second rarest disease in the world – I’m not interested – info purposes only.
That’s great Michael. Maybe the Journal could put this information in an article?
Now, the most important thing is: “What does Angela Merkel say about this?
You must have a thing for authoritative women, William. Does the heart race when you see Angela Merkel?
Appropriate health screening is of course good practice Jim, and having been a Health Screening nurse for 9 years, I totally agree with you. My point is however, that I am not aware of any specific research that supports the routine screening of the bowel in healthy adults and, apart from America, where it is big business, I am not aware that it is common practice anywhere else.
I’m not so sure about this one. What is the rationale behind it? I suspect that it is monetary in nature and nothing to do with people’s health. I know the Americans love bowel screening, faecal occult blood testing and detox and it’s a great money spinner. However, is there really any international data to support this type of screening in the general ‘well’ population? I don’t think so.
But if that’s how you want to spend your money……In the meantime, reduce your intake of alcohol and nicotine, eat a healthy diet and report any changes in your normal bowel habit, or significant family history, to your family doctor.
Preventative medicine is considered good practice and screening programmes are an integral part of this. While it possibly will save money in the longer term, it also will save lives. Is there a problem with doing both?
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