Past and current smokers in Stalybridge are being invited to the latest phase of an NHS lung health check to help improve earlier diagnosis of lung cancer and save more lives.

With one of the highest mortality rates for lung cancer in England, Tameside is one of 23 places across the country to run the Targeted Lung Health Check programme.

GP letters are being sent to households in the Stalybridge Primary Care Network (PCN)* as part of the screening project, jointly organised by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT).

It is the latest phase of a campaign across Tameside which, when complete, will mean more than 58,000 people aged 55 to 74 will have been invited to a lung health check by their GP, with over 65 per cent eligible for an appointment.

Dr Ashwin Ramanchandra, Tameside’s Associate Medical Director for NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said: “It is very important to take up your invitation for a lung health check when your GP contacts you – it really can help to save lives.

“We’ve had a good number of people come forward so far across Tameside but we would be delighted to see more of you.

“The survival rate for lung cancer significantly increases if it’s caught in the early stages and through our approach to these targeted lung health checks will be contacting residents most at risk.”

Patients who are invited will come to a mobile unit and have a lung health check with a specialist nurse which will determine whether they are ‘high’ or ‘low’ risk. If deemed high risk they will be offered a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan of the lungs for further investigation on the same day and be enrolled into the programme.

The scanner has previously been used in the car park for Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.

Lung cancer can often be caught too late as there are rarely symptoms at the earlier stages. The programme is designed to check those most at risk of developing lung cancer in order to spot signs earlier, at the stage when it’s much more treatable and ultimately saving more lives.

The Targeted Lung Health Check programme estimates it will diagnose around 6,000 cancers earlier than they would otherwise have been within the 23 places it is currently established. This offers the opportunity for more and earlier interventions, including curative surgery, which will save people’s lives. Stop smoking advice will also be available to support current smokers.

*Stalybridge PCN includes Grosvenor Medical Centre; King Street Medical Centre; Lockside Medical Centre; Millbrook Medical Practice; Mossley Medical Practice; The Pike Practice; St Andrews House; Staveleigh Medical Centre and Town Hall Surgery.

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