From 1 April 2025, BowelScreen will be available to everyone aged 59 to 70. Just one test can help reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer over your lifetime.
This change is part of the ongoing planned expansion of our bowel cancer screening programme. The HSE’s National Service Plan 2025 commits to further expansion of the screening programme to include people aged 58. This will be completed in 2026.
Inviting people aged 70 will mean approximately 48,000* more invitations being sent over the next 2 years, offering people another opportunity to reduce their risk of developing bowel cancer. We are encouraging everyone to consider taking part – even if they haven’t before.
We know that the majority of people who complete one BowelScreen test go on to do subsequent tests every time they’re invited. Among previous participants the uptake rate is 89.2%, showing the high level of satisfaction with BowelScreen.
BowelScreen is a free test you do at home that can find signs of cancer before symptoms start, and stop it developing. All it takes is 5 minutes. Take the opportunity to protect your health – get your test when you’re invited to take part and when the kit comes put it beside the bathroom so next time you have to go you can get it done!
·Screening allows for the removal of pre-cancerous growths (known as polyps). This can prevent cancer from developing in the first instance.
·If cancer is found through screening it is likely to be an earlier stage when treatment is easier and can be more successful.
BowelScreen: How it works?
·They send you a letter inviting you to take part
·When you consent (agree) to take part in BowelScreen then they post a free test kit to you in a plain envelope
·You can do the test in the privacy of your bathroom by following the instructions
·Most people find the test easy to do. It involves taking a sample of your poo using the kit
·You then post the test back to our laboratory in a plain, pre-paid envelope
·For most people (96 per cent), the home test will be the only test needed
·You will get the results of your test in 4 weeks See our instruction video for a step-by-step guide to taking the test.
What the test looks for…
The BowelScreen test looks for tiny amounts of blood in your poo, that you usually won’t be able to see yourself.
If your result is that blood is ‘not found’ you will be invited back for screening in two years’ time, if you are still eligible. If the kit finds traces of blood you will be contacted about a follow-up test called a colonoscopy.
·A small number of people (4 per cent), will be referred for a follow-up investigation called a colonoscopy
·This is where a camera on the end of a thin flexible tube is used to look inside your bowel for any changes
·During a colonoscopy we can look for and remove pre-cancerous changes, called polyps, from the lining of the bowel
·We know that most bowel cancers develop from polyps, so by removing them we can reduce the chance of cancer developing
·You can read about colonoscopy here
·Every year around 3,000 people are referred on through bowel screening to have polyps removed
·Approximately 5% of those referred for colonoscopy through BowelScreen will have cancer detected.
Getting a test, information and support to take part
- You will receive your first BowelScreen invite between the ages of 59 and 61. If you haven’t received yours when expected, please contact us and we will check you are on our register and that we have the correct information for you.
- If you received a test but have misplaced it or didn’t use it, contact us to get another one.
·Website: www.hse.ie/bowelscreen
·Freephone: 1800 45 45 55
