Bowel Cancer Screening Programme

The Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Eastern Hub, based at the Queen's Medical Centre, is one of the five Hubs in the English NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) responsible for screening the population for bowel cancer in England.

The FOBt screening programme invites people aged 50-74 who are registered with an NHS general practice to complete a FIT test every two years. The testing kit is posted to them at their homes. People found to have abnormal tests are then referred to their local Screening Centre for further assessment with most going on to have a colonoscopy.  The Eastern Hub currently refers people with abnormal tests to 14 Screening Centres in the Eastern region and occasionally to Screening Centres covered by other Hubs. People whose FIT test proves to be normal are written to and advised that they will be sent another kit in 2 years provided they are still under 75.

The programme also offers a colonoscopy every 2 years to people diagnosed with Lynch syndrome.

People with a MLH1 or MSH2 or EPCAM gene change will usually be invited just after their 25th birthday. People with a MSH6 or PMS2 gene change will usually be invited just after their 35th birthday.

To ensure the highest standard of work the Eastern Hub participate in extensive internal and external quality assurance schemes.

A UKAS accredited medical laboratory, No. 8361.

For information about tests that are covered in this scope please refer to the UKAS website.

Any tests performed in the Eastern Hub laboratory that are not accredited are identified on the test report.

About our service

About us

The primary task for each of the 5 Hubs in England is to effectively and efficiently organise and manage the first stage of the programme pathway.

The Hub’s main responsibilities are:

  • Sending out kits to invited subjects and the subsequent testing of returned kits.
  • Calling and recalling subjects for screening.
  • Providing a free telephone helpline for subjects.
  • Booking appointments for subjects with an abnormal result with a Specialist Screening Practitioner.
  • Sending out result letters to subjects and GPs.
  • Providing reports and data analysis, including performance monitoring data, to Screening Centres, Commissioners, National Office and Screening Quality Assurance Services.
  • Maintaining a UKAS accredited service that meets national standards. A UKAS accredited medical laboratory, No. 8361.
  • Supporting agreed BCSP research and development projects.

The Hub's normal opening hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.  A freephone helpline; 0800 707 60 60 provides additional support to those taking up the offer of Bowel Cancer Screening.

The Hub is a hive of activity, and for an average week:

  • Sends out 35,000 invites for FIT screening
  • Sends out 35,500 FIT kits (including retest/replacement kits and over age self referrals).
  • Receives and tests 23,000 kits.
  • Dispatches 23,000 subject results.
  • Dispatches 23,000 GP results.
  • Answers 1,500 helpline calls.
  • Books 400 specialist screening practitioner (SSP) positive assessment appointments.
  • Sends out 20 Lynch surveillance invites and books 20 colonoscopy assessments.

There are targets and standards around the testing and reporting of results which we have to meet. These are:

  • Returned kits to be tested and reported within 3 calendar days of receipt in the laboratory.
  • Abnormal results to be sent out within 1 working day of becoming available
  • Normal test kit results to be sent to participants within 7 days of the result being available.
  • Primary clinic bookings to be offered by the Hub to positive participants within 14 days of the positive FOBT test result.

Symptomatic FIT service

The Hub also provides Faecal Immunochemical testing of symptomatic patients referred from GPs and via in-house Consultants, covered under the scope of our UKAS accreditation.