Bowel cancer screening uptake in Scotland reaches a record high

Bowel cancer screening in Scotland had its highest ever uptake last year, according to a new report released today by NHS Scotland.

Figures from the latest Scottish Bowel Screening Statistics show that in 2022, 67% of people invited to take part in bowel screening in Scotland did so. This was the highest percentage uptake among the population eligible for screening (currently 1.6 million) since Scotland's bowel cancer screening programme began in 2007.

Alongside the good news of an overall increase in screening uptake, the report also highlighted that fewer people living in poorer areas take part in screening. Just over half (54%) of people in the most deprived areas of Scotland completed the test, compared with three quarters (75%) of those in richer areas. While this inequality gap had begun to decrease slightly since the introduction of FIT (faecal immunochemical test) in 2017, that progress has stalled in the last year, with the difference between the most and least deprived areas increasing by one per cent.

Gerard McMahon, our Head of Policy and Influencing for the Devolved Nations, said: "It's fantastic news that the number of people taking part in Scotland's bowel cancer screening programme continues to grow. Bowel cancer remains the nation's second biggest cancer killer, but we know it's treatable and curable if diagnosed early and screening is one of the most important ways to increase early diagnosis.

"To encourage even more people to take part in screening, it's vital that we do more to understand and tackle the barriers that stop people in more deprived areas taking part. We're committed to working closely with the Scottish government and other charities to put in place a strategy to close the inequalities gap and encourage wider uptake of screening tests in all sectors of society."

For those who were referred on for further investigations after completing their tests, NHS Scotland reported increased waiting times for colonoscopies. Over a third of people (34%) waited more than eight weeks for a colonoscopy, meaning a long period of uncertainty before receiving a confirmed cancer diagnosis, or rule out of cancer. This is concerning as it's an anxious time for patients.

We've been calling on the Scottish government for urgent investment to deliver the additional staff and equipment needed to tackle waiting times and improve bowel cancer outcomes to ultimately save more lives.

About bowel cancer screening in Scotland

In Scotland, people are invited to take part in bowel cancer screening every two years between the ages of 50 and 74. Screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage, when treatment has the best chance of working and uses a test carried out at home, called a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), which detects traces of blood in your poo. Most people will be told no further investigation is needed. This doesn't mean that you don't have or won't get bowel cancer so you should still see your GP if you have any symptoms.

Some people will be told that further tests are needed. This doesn't mean you have cancer. The bleeding could be caused by a non-cancerous growth or another health problem. You'll be offered more tests, such as a colonoscopy, to find out what is causing the bleeding.

• Find out more about bowel cancer screening
• Read more about our campaign to reduce waiting times for tests that can diagnose bowel cancer
• Learn more about our work in Scotland