The seminar on Thursday afternoon at the Masterton Club was well attended, with over 50 members of the public coming to hear news of the proposed programme rollout.
Paul Manuel (Consultant Surgeon, Endoscopy) with Annie Lincoln (GP Liaison) led the discussion with a supporting visual presentation and information handout.
Congratulations to Fiona Cundy and Cancer Society Wairarapa for the hard work that went into preparing the seminar,
More information:
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. Regular bowel screening can save lives by finding cancer early when it can often be successfully treated.
The free National Bowel Screening Programme is being rolled out across New Zealand starting in 2017. It is being offered to men and women aged 60 to 74 who are eligible for publicly funded healthcare.When it is your turn to be screened you will be sent an invitation letter, a consent form and a free bowel screening test kit. You’ll receive your first invitation within two years of the programme starting in your area. The test is done at home, and is clean and simple to do. More information on the National Bowel Screening Programme is available at www.bowelscreening.health.govt.nz, or by phoning 0800 924 432.
Hutt Valley and Wairarapa DHBs 'go live'
Hutt Valley and Wairarapa DHBs are in the final stages of preparing to go live with the National Bowel Screening Programme in July. It is important to check that everything will run smoothly from the day the first invitation letters go out to participants, to management of positive results by GPs, and further investigation by endoscopy services.
The DHBs have been engaged in a number of education and awareness raising activities, including:
- Continuing Medical Education sessions for primary care staff
- Equity forums and meetings with Maori and Pacific Health providers
- Public events such as the Cancer Society's Relay for Life at Wairarapa, and a "Wellness at Work" event in Hutt Valley
- Community events for target populations, for example meetings with Samoan Church leaders and the Tokelauan church community.
The bowel screening team across the two DHBs has been supported by their Maori Health and Pacific Health colleagues as they make plans for ongoing awareness raising activities at local marae and churches.
Information online
Information on the NBSP has been added to the National Screening Unit website.
It can be accessed by via the NSU homepage, or directly via bowelscreening.health.govt.nz.
As with the other national screening programmes, there is one section designed for consumers and another for health professionals. Resources will be added as they are developed.
Information on the Ministry's Bowel Cancer Programme, including the NBSP and the Waitemata Pilot, will remain on the Ministry of Health website.
