Welcome to the Targeted Lung Health Check Programme for the East of England
Targeted Lung Health Checks are being offered to people registered with their GP, aged between 55 - 74 years, who have a history of smoking or are current smokers. If you are registered in one of our lung health check locations you will be assessed and invited for a lung health check.
On this site you will be able to find out more information about what’s happening in your area by clicking on the map below or on location tabs at the top of the page; you can also find out more about the centres and teams involved, provide feedback if you’ve already attended, or find out how to book an appointment.
Health Checks and Scans
Targeted Lung Health Checks are aimed at finding people who are higher risk; following their assessment these people will be invited for a CT scan of their lungs - either at a local hospital or a community location.
The aim of the checks and scans are to provide some reassurance, or if resulting in a diagnosis, to enable lung cancer to be detected an earlier stage.
This photo was taken during a CT scan at a lung health check unit in Luton.
Why are lung health checks important?
A history of smoking puts people at a higher risk of lung cancer, it is the biggest risk factor and is responsible for 7 out of 10 cases in the UK - with the risk decreasing after people quit smoking.
Lung cancer can go undetected during the early stages, as there are often no signs or symptoms so it’s important to get checked. The vast majority of lung cancers cases found by the TLHC programme have been found at an early stage, an early diagnosis gives people the best chance of survival or cure.
The lung health check services that have been made available in the East of England are located on the Norfolk coast in Great Yarmouth and on the east coast at Southend, as well as in the towns of Luton, Thurrock, Clacton, East and North Herts, Milton Keynes and in the Central Bedfordshire area. We intend to expand the service across the region, so that by 2029 all eligible people in the East of England will have been invited.
Luton was one of the first locations for Lung Health Checks in the East of England, the city piloted the checks starting in 2021, helping to demonstrate how successful and impactful they can be, enabling them to be added in other locations.
Thurrock was one of the first lung health check locations in the East of England, starting in 2021, helping to demonstrate how successful and impactful they can be, enabling them to be added in other locations.
Luton was one of the first locations for Lung Health Checks in the East of England, the city piloted the checks starting in 2021, helping to demonstrate how successful and impactful they can be, enabling them to be added in other locations.
Thurrock was one of the first lung health check locations in the East of England, starting in 2021, helping to demonstrate how successful and impactful they can be, enabling them to be added in other locations.