As this is an opt-out programme, men and women aged 60 to 74 years within Auckland will be automatically offered a bowel screening test every two years. If you wish to check your enrolment status and details you can freephone 0800 924 432.
Who should do the test?
Most people aged 60 to 74 years, who are eligible for free public healthcare, can do the bowel screening test. This includes people who are at increased risk of bowel cancer. If you have a family history of bowel cancer you should also speak to your GP who may refer you to the NZ Familial Gastrointestinal Cancer Service.
If you experience symptoms of bowel cancer (bleeding in your bowel motion or a change to your bowel habits that continues for several weeks), you should see your GP.
Who should not do the test?
Bowel screening is not right for everyone. Participants should not be part of the bowel screening programme if they:
- 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 their doctor about bowel problems.
Receiving a FIT test result
Eligible participants will complete, at home, the faecal immunochemical test (FIT), which can detect tiny traces of blood present in the bowel motion. Once the test has been posted and analysed by the bowel screening testing laboratory, an electronic message/result will be sent to their GP, or if no GP is selected you will be contacted by a Bowel Screening Nurse. If the test is negative, a letter will be sent out to the participant and they will be re-invited in 2 years' time if they remain eligible to be on the programme.
If a positive FIT result has been received from the bowel screening testing laboratory, the GP/Practice Nurse will:
- Contact the patient
- Advise the patient of the positive result
- Discuss the implications of the positive result (as they will most likely require a colonoscopy)
- Refer the patient to Greenlane Clinical Centre for a colonoscopy, within ten working days.
Booking in for a colonoscopy
If a positive referral has been received our Bowel Screening Nurse will contact the patient to organise a colonoscopy, explain the procedure and go through a pre-assessment questionnaire with them. The patient will then be sent out a bowel preparation kit to take before their procedure, along with their appointment letter.
