New CT scanner checking for lung cancer could save thousands of lives a year in Yorkshire

The new CT scanner is a second addition to Yorkshire, and was made possible after NHS England and NHS Improvement awarded more than £1.1million to the NHS Targeted Lung Health Check programme in Humber and North Yorkshire.

This area includes Hull, East Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire, York and North Yorkshire.

Dr Stuart Baugh, Clinical Director for Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance, said: “The addition of a second CT scanner is a timely boost to the NHS Targeted Lung Health Check programme in Humber and North Yorkshire as it will help us to potentially diagnose lung conditions in more people at an early stage – when treatment is likely to be more successful and straightforward.

“Community screening of this nature plays a huge part in the early detection of conditions such as lung cancer, which often has no symptoms in the early stages. By picking up problems earlier they can be easier to treat and can increase people’s chances of survival.”

The CT scanning unit will be used to check the health of people’s lungs as part of the NHS Targeted Lung Health Check programme.

The acquisition of an extra CT scanner will increase the diagnostic capacity of the NHS Targeted Lung Health Check programme in Humber and North Yorkshire, from around 7,000 lung health check scans per year to 14,000 scans per year.

This will mean people in our region can be checked sooner for conditions such as lung cancer, which often doesn’t have any obvious symptoms in the early stages.

The NHS Targeted Lung Health Check programme invites people aged 55 – 74 who smoke or used to smoke and are registered with a local GP for a free Lung Health Check.

The screening consists of a telephone assessment and if necessary a low-dose CT scan and helps to identify potential lung problems, including lung cancer, at an earlier stage when they are easier to treat.

The CT scans take place on a mobile scanning unit in the community, such as a supermarket car park or sports stadium, and only take 30 seconds to complete.

Visit the Cancer Alliance’s website to find out more about the NHS Targeted Lung Health Check programme in Humber and North Yorkshire.