NHS Screening Programmes
The national screening programmes offered in the UK, who is eligible, and what screening can and cannot do.
Last revised
Screening tests people without symptoms to find conditions earlier than they would otherwise present. It is offered only where the evidence shows the benefit outweighs the harm, which is why there are fewer programmes than people expect.
The adult programmes
Bowel cancer screening, a home test kit posted to eligible adults, with the age range expanding and now starting at 50 in England. Breast screening, mammography offered to women aged 50 to 71. Cervical screening, offered to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64, now primarily testing for HPV. Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening, an ultrasound offered to men at 65. Diabetic eye screening for everyone with diabetes from 12.
Why some things are not screened for
A screening programme requires a test accurate enough to be worth applying to healthy people, and a condition where finding it early genuinely improves outcomes. Prostate cancer fails the first test with PSA alone, which is why there is no national programme despite the disease being common. Screening everyone for everything would generate more harm from false positives and overdiagnosis than benefit.
What screening cannot do
A negative screening result reduces the probability of a condition but does not exclude it. Interval cancers — those appearing between screening rounds — are a known limitation of every programme. This is why new symptoms should always be reported regardless of a recent normal screening result, which is one of the most consequential misunderstandings about screening.
Antenatal and newborn screening
Pregnancy carries its own programmes: infectious disease screening, sickle cell and thalassaemia, fetal anomaly scanning, and after birth the newborn blood spot test, newborn hearing screening and the physical examination. All are offered rather than compulsory, and all are time-limited, which is why early booking matters.
At a glance
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bowel screening, England | home FIT kit, from age 50 |
| Breast screening | women aged 50-71 |
| Cervical screening | aged 25-64, primary HPV testing |
| AAA screening | men, at 65 |
| Diabetic eye screening | everyone with diabetes from age 12 |
| Prostate cancer | no national programme; PSA is not accurate enough alone |
| Key limitation | a normal result does not exclude disease |
| Always report | new symptoms, regardless of recent screening |
When to get help
Report new symptoms to a GP even if you recently had a normal screening result. See a GP promptly for a breast lump or nipple change, bleeding between periods or after the menopause, a persistent change in bowel habit for three weeks or more, blood in your stool or urine, or unexplained weight loss. Screening finds disease in people without symptoms; it is not a substitute for investigating symptoms you have.
Where to go next
Where this comes from
- NHS - NHS screening programmes
- UK National Screening Committee - recommendations
- Cancer Research UK - screening
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
