Bowel screening is a free home test for people aged 58 to 74. It’s quick, clean, and could save your life.
Bowel cancer often develops without any obvious signs or symptoms. That’s why regular screening is so important — it can find the early warning signs before you feel unwell, when treatment is more likely to be successful.
If you’re aged 58 to 74 and enrolled at a Langimālie clinic, you may be eligible for a free bowel screening test through the National Bowel Screening Programme.
The test is simple and done at home. It only takes a few minutes, and you return it by post — no appointments or hospital visits required. It’s clean, private, and free.
Talk to your doctor or nurse today about bowel screening. It’s one small step that could make a big difference.
0800 030 902
Pacific Bowel Screening
Our Pacific bowel screening participation in Waitematā for those aged 58 – 74yrs is about 45%, lower than Maori and other populations.
The national bowel screening participation target is 60%.
We aim to lift our bowel screening participation to > 90%. So, we need to reach some 1,000 (to 2,000) Pacific peoples.
In 2023, we expect this programme to extend to Pacific peoples (and Māori) aged 50-74 (8,000) because our Pacific people present at younger ages.
Pacific peoples did not usually experience bowel cancer some 30-40 years ago, but now our cases are increasing rapidly (due to risk factors - changes in diet, obesity, smoking, alcohol etc).
The process only requires a small stool sample (pin/dot size), which you put in a small plastic bag and post as usual or drop off at a lab test.
About 2-3% of those screened (stool sample) will be positive, and they will be referred for colonoscopy. About 2-3% of those undergoing colonoscopy will be positive for cancer.
Importantly, bowel cancer if detected early can be removed successfully and stopped from returning.
Please encourage family members aged 58 to 74 years to get screened. Those who were part of the pilot bowel screening programme (now aged 55 - 60 yrs) are also eligible.