Each year in the North East, smoking causes over 5,500 early deaths. When it comes to lung health, spotting problems early can make a big difference.
During 2020/21, a new NHS lung health programme will be rolled out across Newcastle and Gateshead and run for four years.
If you are aged 55 to 74 and your GP has a record of you being a smoker or having ever smoked, your GP Practice will invite you by letter for your FREE NHS Lung Health Check. Think of it as an MOT for your lungs.
How it works
- If you qualify for a FREE NHS Lung Health Check, you will receive an invite through the post
- Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the checks will take place over the phone and last approximately 30 minutes
- The nurse will ask questions about your breathing and overall lung health. They ask about your lifestyle, family and medical history, as well as height and weight
- The nurse may talk to you about having a lung scan. This checks for early signs of lung cancer and is called lung cancer screening
If you think your GP is unlikely to have a record of you smoking or ever smoked, now would be a good time to get in touch with them and update your details.
It’s a national programme
NHS England is investing £70 million in 10 lung health screening programmes to take place around the country. Areas have been chosen for having populations that are high-risk for lung cancer. Individual patients will be invited to take part in the programme. It’s hoped that the targeted screening will help improve lung cancer survival rates.
The scheme has the potential to reach 600,000 over four years, detecting approximately 3,400 cancers and saving hundreds of lives. As well as detecting lung cancer, targeted lung health checks will help identify a range of other lung conditions.
Further information
For more information about lung cancer, lung health checks and advice on smoking visit: