Lung health checks in Kent and Medway
The NHS in Kent has been piloting a new service aimed at helping to diagnose lung cancer at an earlier stage when treatment may be more successful.
The pilot, taking place on the South Kent Coast, started in November 2022 and continues to invite patients across the South Kent Coast area.
The south Kent coast area has been chosen by NHS England in partnership with the Kent and Medway Cancer alliance for a pilot.
We continue to work with other localities across Kent and Medway to launch the programme, with the aim to launch lung health checks in Medway and Swale in early 2024.
These checks on your lungs should help to find out early any health issues with your lungs, which you may not even be aware of – as there are no real symptoms yet.
So, it’s important you attend when you receive an invitation for a lung health check, even if you feel fine.
You will be invited on to the programme from your local hospital. The first step of a lung health check will be to have a phone appointment with a health professional.
They will ask you some questions to find out more about your lung health.
If this shows that you are at a higher risk of having health issues with your lungs, you will be offered an appointment for a lung scan. This will be a low-dose CT scan to take a detailed picture of your lungs.
Afterwards the pictures of the lungs will be reviewed, and you’ll be contacted with an update on what they show. If needed, you’ll be referred to a clinician.
If you are a smoker, you’ll also be offered support for quitting smoking, as part of the lung health check.
Those who are eligible who live in the South Kent Coast area will receive an invitation to book an appointment. The programme will run over two years from November 2022 through to November 2024.
Invitations to book an appointment will be sent out over the two-year period.
For other areas of Kent and Medway, we are currently working with local health systems to expand the programme.
Lung health checks will be available to people who are registered with a GP on the South Kent Coast. If you live in an area where they are taking place, you will receive an invitation if all of the following apply to you.
You:
- are over 55 but younger than 75 years old
- are registered with an GP in the pilot area (see list below)
- have ever smoked, and this is recorded with your GP.
You will receive a letter inviting you to take part. Even if you feel fine, it’s important that you still book an appointment, as the checks could pick up an illness, even if you don’t have symptoms.
Eligible patients registered at the following GP practices will be invited to a lung health check.
- The Marsh (Lydd, New Romney, Dymchurch)
- Church Lane Health Centre
- Martello Health Centre
- Oak Hill Practice
- Orchard House Surgery
- Folkestone Hythe and Rural
- Church Road Practice
- Folkstone Surgery
- Hawkinge and Elham Surgery
- Oaklands Health Centre
- Sun Lane Surgery
- White House Surgery
- Health Care Excellence East (Dover)
- Aylesham Medical Practice
- Lydden Surgery
- White Cliffs Medical Centre
- Pencester Surgery
- Health Care Excellence West (Folkestone)
- Guildhall Street Surgery
- Manor Clinic
- Sandgate Road Surgery
- The New Surgery
- Dover Town
- Buckland Medical Practice
- High Street Surgery
- Peter Street Surgery
- St James’ Surgery
- Deal and Sandwich
- Balmoral Surgery
- Manor Road Surgery
- Sandwich Medical Practice
- St Richard’s Road Surgery
- The Cedars Surgery
The health checks look for early signs of lung related illnesses before there are any symptoms. If you notice any of the following symptoms or anything that is not normal for you, you should tell your doctor.
- a cough that won't go away
- a change in a cough you’ve had for a long time
- being short of breath
- coughing up blood
- feeling very tired
