The Targeted Lung Health Check Programme is a new NHS scheme designed to identify signs of cancer at an early stage when it is much more treatable – ultimately saving lives.
What are lung health checks?
The Targeted Lung Health Check programme is being offered to people in Dudley between the ages of 55 to 74 who are current or former smokers and are at a greater risk of lung cancer.
A lung health check can spot problems such as cancer early, often before you notice any symptoms. Finding problems earlier can make treatment simpler and more successful.
The programme is starting with the Kingswinford primary care network practices and will soon be rolled out to more practices across the borough at:
- Kingswinford Medical Practice
- Moss Grove Medical Practice
- Wordsley Green Health Centre
- Rangeways Road Surgery
- Summerhill Surgery
In June, 2023, the Government announced that TLHCs was now a national screening programme, which would roll out to cover the whole of the country over the next several years.
Invitations will start going out to eligible patients at the start of July 2024. Only patients who meet the criteria for a targeted lung health check and who are registered at participating GP practices in Dudley will be contacted.
The letter will come from InHealth and invite patients to make an appointment for an initial telephone appointment to discuss their lung health.
Who is eligible?
Those who are eligible to take part in the targeted lung health check service must be:
- aged between 55 and 74
- a current or former smoker
- registered to participating GP practice in Dudley
Lung screening checks are a very important check-up of the overall health of your lungs. You will be invited to participate even if you feel fit and healthy.
What will happen at my targeted lung health check?
- The lung health check takes place on the telephone and takes about 30 minutes to complete. You will be asked a series of questions about your health and lifestyle including any personal or family history of lung cancer, and if you are a current or former smoker. The answers are used to assess your risk of developing lung cancer.
- If you are assessed as being at an increased risk of lung cancer, you will be offered a low dose CT scan, a type of X-ray which takes an image of your lungs. If you are offered a scan, and you will be talked through the benefits and risks of it and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. An appointment for your CT scan will be booked.
- Your scan is simple and quick will take place in a mobile unit near to where you live. About four weeks after your scan, you will receive your results and your GP will also be told about them. The vast majority of people are totally fine, and their lungs are completely healthy.
- Watch this video for more information about lung health check CT scans.
Take a walk through our targeted lung health check van below
For more information and the videos that we have in different languages, please see below:
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- Punjabi – https://youtu.be/PVOltoLKsdk
- Urdu – https://youtu.be/RzeObI-hSrQ
- English (Dr Lloyd) – https://youtu.be/-sqfMb83aD0
