Bowel screening FAQs

As of the 9 October 2024, Bowel Screening Wales is offering bowel screening to people aged 50-74 who live in Wales and are registered with a Welsh GP.

If you live in Wales and are not registered with a GP but would like to take part, you can contact the helpline on 0800 294 3370.

This will result in approximately 76,000 additional people aged 50 being invited for screening between October 2024 and June 2025 with 510,000 people being invited in total during this period.

No, evidence from the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) does not currently support inviting people over the age of 74 to take part in bowel screening.

Taking part in bowel screening is your choice. Bowel Screening Wales has a duty to invite all eligible individuals for screening.

If you do not complete your screening test kit within 7 weeks of receiving it, you will receive a reminder letter. If you do not return a completed test kit after this reminder letter, we will invite you again in two years’ time, if you are within the eligible age range and living in Wales.

If you do not want to receive invitations for bowel screening, please contact us to let us know. We will send you a form to sign to confirm that you do not want further invites from us.

Individuals who ask for the invitations to be stopped, but then later decide that they would like to have screening, can come back into the programme at any time until the age of 74.

No, you need to be registered with a GP to receive an automatic invitation from the Bowel Screening Wales programme.

If you are not registered with a GP but you live in Wales and would like to take part, you can contact the helpline on 0800 294 3370.

The Bowel Screening Wales programme is based on residency, so if you live in Wales and are registered with a GP, you should receive a test kit from Bowel Screening Wales, if you are within the eligible age range. Having a GP on the English side of the border should not change this.

If you have any questions about your entitlement to the bowel screening programme in Wales, you should speak to your GP in the first instance.

Yes, you can request a new bowel screening test kit:

• request a kit online
• by calling the Freephone helpline 080 0294 3370
• by emailing [email protected].

• Follow the step-by-step instructions (ADD LINKL TO LEAFLET) included with your test kit.
• Watch this short video that will show you how to complete the test.
• Contact us if you have any questions or need help completing the test.

No, you will need to request a new test kit:

• request a kit online
• by calling the Freephone helpline 080 0294 3370
• by emailing [email protected].

A laboratory machine will test how much blood is found in your poo sample.

The amount of blood found will decide if you need further tests.

You can contact us to speak to a member of the Bowel Screening Wales Team to discuss how we may be able to help.

No, you should continue taking your medication and do the test. If you are taking Warfarin, Aspirin, anti-inflammatories, some antibiotics or blood thinning medication there may be a higher chance of a result that needs further tests.

No, the prepaid envelope has been designed to meet postal regulations. If you need a replacement envelope please contact us.

We may not be able to process the test kit without the date and if we cannot we will send you another test kit. If you are completing another test kit please make sure to write the date you took the sample on the test.

Yes, if you have permission from the person to help them and they can make their own decisions.

You should not carry out testing on behalf of someone who is not capable of making this decision unless you have the legal authority to do so; for example, if you have the Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare on behalf of the individual.

For more information and advice, please visit our webpage or contact the Freephone helpline 0800 294 3370 to speak with one of our nurses.

The liquid seen inside the test kit contains sodium azide (0.1% or less) which preserves and stabilises any blood (haemoglobin) within your poo sample.

The liquid should not be removed from the test kit.

If it comes into contact with the eye, mouth or skin, be sure to rinse with plenty of running water. If needed, seek medical treatment and contact a medical professional.

Yes, your GP records will be automatically updated if you have not responded to the invitation. Your GP may discuss your decision not to take part in bowel screening with you.

Sometimes blood on the outside of the poo can be caused by external bleeding such as piles. If you can see blood you need to tell your GP so that your symptoms can be checked. The screening test can only be done every two years.

Yes, you can ask for your numerical test results by contacting our Freephone helpline on 080 0294 3370, in writing, by email or via the website.  We will send your result by post.

No, wait until the bleeding has stopped before completing the test kit.

Yes, it is safe to take part.

Yes, if you have piles it is recommended that you take part in bowel screening. We advise you to take your sample from the middle of your poo, as you may have an increased chance of blood being found.

If your doctor has told you that you have an infection in your bowel you may want to wait a few days until this has cleared up.

You should discuss taking part with your treating medical team, GP or by calling our Freephone helpline to speak to one of our nurses.

Yes, if you still have part of your large bowel, you can take the sample from your stoma bag.

Once you’ve had a bowel motion/movement, remove your colostomy bag as you would normally do so when changing it. Using the instructions provided with the test kit, the sample should be taken via the pre-cut hole in the bag and not directly from the stoma. Do not cut the bag open as this would not be necessary.

Best practice would be to take the sample as soon as you’ve had a bowel motion/movement, however if this is not possible, you can take the sample as soon as you’ve changed the bag.

No, if you have a permanent ileostomy and no longer have a large bowel there is no need for you to complete the test. You can contact us and we will write to your doctor to have this confirmed so that you no longer receive the invitations.

We would recommend you talk to your oncologist. If you have any further queries please contact the Freephone helpline to speak to one of our nurses.

Speak to your doctor who may refer you to the All Wales Genetics Service if you have a family history.

Yes, if you are not having regular colonoscopic surveillance for family history you should still complete the test kit.

Yes, screening finds bowel cancer at an early stage before symptoms develop and when treatment is more likely to be successful. We would encourage you to do the test, however we respect your decision if you decide not to take part in screening.

No, you will be invited for screening every two years, if you are still within the eligible age range, 50-74. Your decision not to take part this time will not affect any care you receive from your doctor or hospital.

Yes, we can remove your details to stop further invitations being sent to you.  You will need to contact us so that we can send you a form to sign and return. If you change your mind and are still within the eligible age range, 50-74, you can contact us or speak to someone in your GP surgery.

You can only make a decision on someone else’s behalf if you have power of attorney for their health and welfare.  You can contact the Freephone helpline on 0800 294 3370 if you would like to discuss this further.

Bowel Screening Wales gets details of all eligible people from the Welsh Demographic System. This is a national NHS GP database containing details of the names, addresses, dates of birth and GPs of all Welsh residents.  This system is very strictly controlled and complies fully with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

If your details are incorrect you will need to contact your GP surgery to update them.

Bowel Screening Wales does not have access to medical records.  It has access to the national NHS GP database, which has details of the names, addresses, dates of birth and GPs of all eligible Welsh residents.

This system is very strictly controlled and complies fully with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

Bowel Screening Wales records your name, date of birth, contact address and the results of your bowel screening tests. Only appropriate health care professionals will see your personal bowel screening information. If you require more information, please contact us.  You can also view our privacy policy.

We use your personal information to invite you to take part in screening and to improve screening services. If you require more information, please contact us.  You can also view our privacy policy.

The risks of colonoscopy are rare but you need to know about them so you can make your decision about having the test.

The risks must be compared to the benefit of having the test.

The main risks of a colonoscopy are:

• Perforation – for 1 in every 1,000 tests there is a tear of the lining of the bowel.  An operation is nearly always required to repair the hole.  The risk of perforation is higher when polyps (small growths) have been removed.
• Bleeding – this may occur where the sample of your bowel was taken or where a polyp has been removed. The risk is about one for every 100-200 tests where this is done. Bleeding is not usually serious and often stops on its own.

If you have any symptoms you should talk to your GP.  Symptoms may be caused by a number of conditions including cancer. If you have been sent a test kit we recommend that you still take part in the screening programme.

Yes, there are a number of common bowel conditions that have similar symptoms to bowel cancer. These include:

Haemorrhoids (piles), Anal Fissures (a tear in the lining of the back passage or the skin around it), polyps (small growths in the bowel), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Diverticular Disease or Inflammatory Bowel Diseases such as Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease.

If you think you have any of these conditions, you should talk to your GP.

You can take part in the bowel screening programme every two years when invited.  You can also look after your health by keeping active, eating well, drinking less alcohol and stopping smoking.

Bowel Screening Wales are running a project funded by CRUK for people that have completed a test kit but have not yet contacted us.

Please call our freephone number 02921 673329 to speak to a dedicated Bowel Screening Wales staff member.