A targeted lung health check drive is continuing, with eligible residents of Tameside and Glossop receiving invitations. 

Past and current smokers will receive an invitation from their GP in a drive to improve earlier diagnosis of lung cancer and save more lives.

Tameside and Glossop has one of the highest rates for lung cancer in England and the area is one of 23 places across the country to run the Targeted Lung Health Check (TLHC) programme.

GP letters are being sent to households as part of the screening project, jointly organised by Tameside and Glossop Clinical Commissioning Group and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT).

Through the initiative, over 58,000 people aged from 55 to 74 in the area will be invited to a lung health check by their GP, and over 65 per cent will be eligible for an appointment based on their smoking history. Over the two years the campaign is running, it will identify an estimated 400 cases of lung cancer earlier than otherwise would have been possible.

The lung health check takes place as a ‘one-stop shop’. An initial nurse-led assessment will explore smoking status, chest symptoms, and risk of lung cancer. Those considered to be at high risk will be offered an immediate ultra-low dose CT scan of the chest.

The scanner is housed in a mobile unit and is being taken to accessible areas across Tameside and Glossop, including its first location, the car park for Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.

Checks will take place over the two-year period, which began in July, and patients will be contacted in groups depending on which GP practice they are registered with. The current set of patients to receive these letters are from Market Street Medical Centre, Medlock Vale Medical Centre, Denton Medical Practice, Guide Bridge Medical Centre, Droylsden Medical Practice and Millgate Healthcare Partnership.

Tameside Council say the programme will help improve early diagnosis and survival for people with lung cancer.

Lung cancer can often be diagnosed too late to be cured as there are rarely symptoms at the earlier stages. The programme is designed to check those most at risk of developing lung cancer in order to spot signs earlier, at the stage when it’s much more treatable and ultimately saving more lives.

The TLHC programme estimates it will diagnose around 6,000 cancers earlier than would otherwise have been picked up within the 23 places it is currently established. This offers the opportunity for more and earlier interventions, including curative surgery, which will save people’s lives. Stop smoking advice will also be available to support current smokers.

Dr Ashwin Ramachandra and Dr Asad Ali, joint chairs of Tameside and Glossop CCG, said: “The Targeted Lung Health Check programme in Tameside and Glossop will provide an opportunity to significantly increase the lung cancer survival rate in the area. Through the checks we’re also looking out for other serious lung conditions and will contact those most at risk.

“We encourage anyone who receives an invitation letter to contact the bookings team as soon as possible.”

Professor Richard Booton, Clinical Director of Lung Cancer and Thoracic Surgery at Wythenshawe Hospital, part of MFT, said: “We’re very pleased to be supporting Tameside and Glossop CCG on this project following the success of our pioneering scheme in Manchester. These targeted lung health checks will save lives, not just by finding cancers earlier, but also in identifying a range of other health conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease.”

For more information on the Targeted Lung Health Check programme, visit https://www.tamesideandglossopccg.org/lunghealthcheck or call 0161 529 0900.