A new innovative early diagnosis model

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Bowel Cancer UK’s new early diagnosis programme, also known as 'Bowel Towns' brings together health providers and community groups in five locations across the UK, to raise awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer, promote screening uptake and support people to see their GP if they have any symptoms.

 

The new and innovative early diagnosis model will be working in communities within

• Birmingham,

• Cornwall,

• Croydon,

• Glasgow City

• Neath Port Talbot.  

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Earlier diagnosis saves lives, yet almost half of people diagnosed with bowel cancer living in the UK are diagnosed at the later stages (stage 3 and 4). Bowel cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer; but it shouldn’t be because it is treatable and curable if diagnosed early.

 

Across the UK:  

• More than 9 in 10 people survive* bowel cancer if diagnosed at stage 1 

• But only 1 in 10 survive* if diagnosed at stage 4 

• Today, just 4 in 10 people are diagnosed at the earliest stages.  

*For five years or more. 

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Bowel Cancer UK plans to change this, aiming to ensure more bowel cancers are spotted earlier when treatment is more likely to be successful.  

Working closely with local NHS teams, the 12-month programme in each location will combine public awareness activity with primary care professional engagement. By working directly with communities, the programme will support people to recognise the symptoms of bowel cancer, feel confident speaking to their GP if something doesn’t look or feel right, and complete their bowel cancer screening test when invited. It will also help support primary care professionals to recognise symptoms quickly and refer patients for further tests. 

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By investing in early diagnosis of bowel cancer, this programme will help save lives and could provide a scalable blueprint for encouraging people to see their GP when they have symptoms.