Ruth Maguire MSP has called on her constituents to take the
potentially life-saving bowel screening test this month – part of a nationwide
drive to encourage people to return their test as soon as they receive it.
The Scottish Government drive comes as latest figures have
shown that, on average, 43,500 bowel screening tests have been returned in
August, but some people are still delaying doing their test as this is 8,500
fewer than the average for October.
All adults aged 50-74 are invited to take part in bowel
screening every two years in Scotland. The test remains the best way of finding
bowel cancer early, when survival is 14 times more likely. The number of
participants between November 2013 and October 2015 was over one million.
Commenting, SNP MSP for Cunninghame South, Ruth Maguire,
said:
“The bowel screening test is the best way to catch bowel
cancer early. I urge all constituents who have been sent a test to do it as
soon as they receive it – with it being 14 times more likely to survive bowel
cancer when it is caught early.
“Over a million people completed the test between November
2013 and October 2015, which is an uptake of 57.5%. Whilst this is positive,
the Scottish Government will always work to try and secure greater and earlier
uptake, to ensure we find even more cancers as early as possible.
“Returning the test early really could be a lifesaver.”
For more information or to find out how to request a replacement test, click here.
