Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, Southern Hub is based on the Surrey Research Park in Guildford in Surrey. It is the largest of five Hubs in the English NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP). The Southern Hub provides a service to the South of England in partnership with 18 Screening Centres and approximately 1,550 General Practices (GPs).
The Southern Hub serves a total population of 15.7 million people living across the South of England. It is hosted by the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RSCH) and is part of the Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services (BSPS) network. The Hub operates within NHS England’s strict standards and guidelines for NHS Screening Programmes.
The Hub is responsible for sending out invitations, test kits, and reminder letters, analysis of returned test kits and production of result letters. In addition the hub operates a National Freephone helpline service (0800 707 6060) answering a variety of questions regarding screening, Bowel Health and offering support and guidance to those accessing the service.
Anyone who is registered with a GP in England and is between the ages of 54-74 inclusive is invited to take part in screening every two years. Nationally this is being reduced and by the end of March 2025 anyone aged 50-74 will be invited automatically. People are sent a personalised FIT kit to complete at home and return, in the post, to the Southern Hub for testing. A result letter is sent within 14 days of receipt.
In addition the hub administers the invitation for anyone with a confirmed Lynch Diagnosis where the following genes are present; MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, EPCAM
Important Information
The NHS Bowel Screening Programme is for those users who do not have symptoms or concerns. Should a user have any bowel Symptoms or concerns they should contact their GP for advice and if appropriate placed onto a symptomatic pathway. Please note the threshold for symptomatic testing will be lower to account for symptoms that may be present.
For more information and resources relating to NHS Bowel Screening and Bowel Cancer please see below:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer-screening/
https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/bowel-cancer
General Information
The team operates with around 40 staff including a Senior Management team, Biomedical Scientists, Team Leaders and Screening Officers.
Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
For our helpline please call Freephone 0800 707 60 60
You can also email the Southern Hub on: rsc-tr.bcspsouthernhub@nhs.net
For operational queries please email:
Sally Benton (Hub Director) sally.benton@nhs.net
Martin Brealey (Hub Manager) martin.brealey@nhs.net
Transportation of Samples
Home Testing Kits can be posted via Royal Mail post boxes in the envelopes provided. They can also be dropped off at our Hub on the Surrey Research Park
Consent
Consent within the NHS Bowel Screening programme is implied and formal consent is not required.
Acceptance of Samples
Specimens will be rejected if the identity of the service user is in doubt. This is to prevent misleading results being reported that could lead to inappropriate patient management. All home testing kits are dispatched with pre-printed details of the user to which it is intended.
Samples may/will be rejected before analysis if:
Requesting Additional/Replacement Tests
You can contact the programme (see “General Information) and request replacement home testing kits if required. Additional tests cannot be provided if a Home Testing Kit has already been accepted and analysed.
Where a Home Testing Kit cannot be analysed (see “Acceptance of Samples”) a replacement kit will be automatically dispatched. This should arrive within 10-14 days.
Clinical Advice
Clinical advice is available during working hours from the Duty Biochemist. They may be contacted either by email (see "General Information") or via the helpline on 0800 707 6060.
Where more detailed advice is required we will arrange for a suitable clinician to contact you/the service user.
Complaints
BSPS and the NHS Bowel Screening Programme prides itself in delivering high quality services to service users. Unfortunately, there are occasions when the provision of services may fail to meet the quality expectations of our users. When this occurs and a subsequent complaint is raised by a service user we will take a positive approach to the management and resolution of the concerns identified.
Complaints may be communicated directly to the key contacts listed above, individual Trust Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS), Trust Complaints Departments at each Trust site or through their GP. Complaints received are escalated in accordance with the BSPS and Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Complaints Management Procedure, investigated and a response issued within 25 days working days in accordance with the originating Trusts’ complaints management policy.
Complaints received from GPs, CCGs or from Trust GP Liaison Services are escalated to key contacts as identified and investigated and responses issued in accordance with the BSPS Complaints Management Procedure within 25 working days.
Staff complaints when raised are investigated and managed within the Trust Human Resources polices.
