Publish date: 9 April 2026
Lung health check assessments are being offered to smokers and ex-smokers aged 55-74 years in Bradford District and Craven to help find any issues early, often before symptoms appear.
The assessments are part of the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme, which aims to detect lung cancer early.
A patient’s first appointment is just a simple phone call to discuss their breathing, medical history, lifestyle and lung health.
If they are considered to be at higher risk, they will be invited for a low-dose CT scan at a mobile scanner in their local area in Bradford District and Craven.
The roll out of the Lung Cancer Screening Programme is being phased across GP practices, so not all practices will be involved at the same time
Anyone eligible will be contacted by the NHS, so people are being asked to wait until they receive their invite.
Dr Sohail Abbas, GP partner and Reducing Inequalities Alliance Director at Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, said: “The process is very straightforward, and appointments will be in your local area. These lung health checks are saving lives by detecting lung cancer sometimes before there are signs or symptoms.
“Lung cancer often has no signs or symptoms till advanced stages when it is often too late. Detecting it early can be the key to successful treatment.
“More than six in ten people survive cancer for five years or more if diagnosed at earliest stage. If treatment is needed, it is more effective to start it earlier.”
Dr Abbas continued: “These CT scans also help to identify other lung health conditions enabling people to access treatment earlier and find conditions they may not have known about. This can help communities by finding and treating those otherwise not detected.
“Around 1900 people with undiagnosed conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were identified during the pilot held between 2019 and 2023.”
He added: “As ever, if you are showing any signs of cancer, like a long-standing cough that gets worse, persistent breathlessness, or coughing up blood, please come forward to your GP – getting checked could save your life.”
Jason Pawluk, Managing Director of West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance, said: “We’ve been delighted to see the success of lung cancer screening so far in saving people’s lives locally.
“This important expansion is part of a wider rollout of lung cancer screening in West Yorkshire and Harrogate which will be completed by the end of the decade. We are grateful for the support of all local partners in making the programme work.”
For more information on lung cancer screening in Bradford District and Craven visit www.lunghealthcheckaware.co.uk
