Bill Simpson from Nottinghamshire, who has taken part in the Targeted Lung Health Check programme in Mansfield.

Past and current smokers living in Nottingham City will be invited to an NHS lung health check this year in a drive to improve earlier diagnosis of lung cancer and save more lives.

With one of the highest mortality rates for lung cancer in England, Nottingham is one of 43 places across the country to run the Targeted Lung Health Check programme.

The initiative means more than 30,000 past and current smokers aged 55 to 74 in Nottingham will be invited to a lung health check by their GP this year. This will identify an estimated 327 cases of lung cancer earlier than otherwise would have been.

Those invited will have an initial phone assessment with a specially trained health care professional. If the assessment finds the person to be at high risk, they will be offered a low dose CT scan of the lungs for further investigation. The scanner is housed in a mobile unit, which will be located at convenient locations across the city.

Lung cancer can often be caught too late as there are rarely symptoms at the earlier stages. The programme is designed to check those most at risk of developing lung cancer in order to spot signs earlier, at the stage when it’s much more treatable, ultimately saving lives.

Bill Simpson from Nottinghamshire, who has taken part in the Targeted Lung Health Check programme in Mansfield, said: “I had a call from a nurse inviting me to the lung health check, and I thought I may as well go. At the initial appointment I was told I needed a CT scan and then a PET scan. That was when I was told – ‘you have lung cancer. However, it’s localised, it’s a very small amount and it hasn’t spread.’

“One minute you’ve been given a death sentence, the next you’re getting a reprieve, and it comes out in two sentences!

“The whole process, from the initial tests to having the operation and getting out of hospital, took about six weeks. You’re operated on and a couple of days later you can go home. You’re fixed, you’re mended, you feel great! The doctors have said it’s given me ten more years of my life. I’ve got everything to live for, everything to look forward to. That’s the big thing – if they find it, you can be fixed.”

The Targeted Lung Health Check programme estimates it will diagnose around 9,000 cancers earlier with this new initiative taking place. In England, on average only 28% of lung cancers are diagnosed at an early stage. However, with this initiative, lung cancer early diagnosis rates can be as high as 80% and allows more opportunities for earlier interventions, such as curative surgery – both of which, ultimately saves lives. Stop smoking advice will also be offered to support current smokers.

Mike Ryan, Head of the NHS East Midlands Cancer Alliance, said: “The roll out of the Targeted Lung Health Check programme is one of many steps being taken in line with the NHS Long Term Plan to catch more cancers at an earlier stage, when they are easier to treat.

“The mobile units will be conveniently located in Nottingham City to make them easy to access, so please do get checked if you are invited this year. In cases when there are signs of lung cancer or other lung conditions, we can act quickly to treat and help you.”

This initiative is part of a wider programme that has been expanded into a further 20 locations – including Nottingham. Latest projections show as many as 1.5 million people will have been invited for a lung health check across 43 locations by 2024/25.

For more information on the Targeted Lung Health Check programme please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/cancer/early-diagnosis/#targeted.

Our message remains the same – if you notice any new or unusual symptoms, such as an unexplained lump or unexplained blood that doesn’t come from an obvious injury (such as blood in your poo or pee), please do contact your GP and get it checked, the NHS is here for you. It’s probably nothing serious, but finding cancer early makes it more treatable.