Northern Ireland at a standstill as delays to lowering bowel cancer screening age continue

We're calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to urgently begin to lower the bowel cancer screening age from 60 to 50, as we launch a new campaign highlighting stark inequalities in access to early diagnosis.

People in Northern Ireland are currently offered routine bowel cancer screening between the ages of 60 and 74. This means they miss out on up to five screening opportunities compared to those living in the rest of the UK, where screening begins at the of age 50, in line with recommendations from the UK National Screening Committee.

In addition, a less sensitive screening test threshold (120µg/g) is used in Northern Ireland compared with 80µg/g already in place in Scotland and Wales. England is working towards a full rollout of the lower threshold by 2028. The more sensitive the test, the more likely the test will detect blood in your poo which will trigger further tests that can diagnose bowel cancer. This means in Northern Ireland cancers are less likely to be diagnosed at an earlier, more treatable stage. This is contributing to potentially avoidable late diagnoses, poorer survival rates and higher long-term treatment costs.

Northern Ireland’s Cancer Strategy commits to improving screening and diagnosing more cancers earlier. Extending bowel cancer screening to people aged 50–74 is a clear, evidence-based step to deliver on that ambition.

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Northern Ireland, with over 1,200 people diagnosed with the disease every year and is more common in people over the age of 50.

To push for change, we're hosting a panel discussion and networking event at Stormont today, bringing together Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), healthcare professionals, academics and people affected by bowel cancer.

The event will be hosted by Eóin Tennyson MLA, Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party, and will focus on the urgent need to lower the bowel cancer screening age from 60 to 50 and, in time, increase the sensitivity of the screening test to match the rest of the UK.

The campaign is supported by people affected by bowel cancer, including Belfast resident Pamela Redmond, who is attending the Stormont event.

Pamela was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer when she was 56 years old. Her experience highlights the critical importance of screening from the age of 50.

She said: “If screening had been available to me earlier, my cancer might have been found sooner. No one should have to go through what I did simply because they were too young to be invited for screening.”

Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said: “Northern Ireland is seriously lagging behind the rest of the UK when it comes to bowel cancer screening and that delay could be costing lives.

“It is unfair that people here must wait until they are 60 to be invited for screening, missing multiple chances to detect cancer early, while those elsewhere in the UK are screened from age 50. This stark inequality in access to screening is leading to later diagnoses, more aggressive treatment and poorer survival rates for patients in Northern Ireland.

“We are calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to commit to safely extending bowel cancer screening to people from the age of 50, with clear timelines for implementation, and, in time, bringing the sensitivity of testing in line with the rest of the UK. Every year of inaction means more chances of early diagnosis being missed.”

• Taking part in bowel cancer screening is one of the best ways to spot the disease early, when it's more likely to be treatable and curable. Learn more about screening here.
• This Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, we’re asking everyone to help raise awareness of the disease, so everyone has the best chance of an early diagnosis. Get involved today and #PassItOn.
• You can campaign with us and sign up as a campaign supporter to help us improve early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care for all those affected. Sign up and support our campaigns.