Thousands of Leeds residents to be offered free lung cancer checks under new NHS scheme
The new programme aims to detect lung cancer early, with up to 90,000 people in Leeds eligible for free NHS health checks
A new lung cancer screening programme has been rolled out in Leeds, aiming to provide free NHS health checks to up to 90,000 people.
The initiative is targeting people aged between 55 and 74 who currently smoke or have smoked in the past.
Scans will be provided six days a week at mobile CT scanning units located in communities around the city, with Alliance Medical supporting Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) to deliver the programme.
Those registered with a GP in Leeds who have ever smoked cigarettes will receive an invitation letter for an initial telephone risk assessment, followed by a low-dose CT scan at a mobile unit if they are assessed as being at higher risk.
Anyone experiencing breathing problems or a persistent cough is advised to contact their GP rather than wait for a screening invitation.
Lung cancer causes around 3,000 deaths in Yorkshire each year, making it the deadliest form of cancer in the region, according to Yorkshire Cancer Research.
Running for the next two years, the programme is designed to detect lung cancer early, before any signs or symptoms appear, as this significantly improves treatment effectiveness and survival rates.
It follows the successful Leeds Lung Health Check trial, which ran between 2018 and 2024, screening 8,800 people and detecting more than 400 lung cancers. Of these, four out of five were detected at an early stage.
Funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and developed in partnership with LTHT and the University of Leeds, the trial helped pave the way for the national lung cancer screening programme, which the Government plans to roll out fully by 2030.
Professor Mat Callister, lead consultant in respiratory medicine at LTHT, said the programme could save hundreds of lives in Leeds over the coming years.
He said: “Following the earlier success of the Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial in Leeds, we are excited about now being able to offer free NHS screening to everyone at risk in the city. By catching cancer early, we will be able to save hundreds of lives in Leeds over the coming years.
“If you get an invitation for a phone conversation – please don’t ignore it. A simple check could save your life.”