What are the eligibility criteria for the national bowel cancer screening programme in the UK?

Eligibility criteria for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in the United Kingdom:

• Adults aged 50 years and over are eligible to participate in the bowel cancer screening programme.
• The programme invites individuals in this age group to complete a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) every two years.
• Screening is offered routinely from age 50 onwards, with invitations sent out periodically.
• Primary care is not directly involved in delivering the screening but is informed when invitations are sent and receives screening results.
• People with symptoms suggestive of bowel cancer are managed through separate suspected cancer referral pathways and are not the primary target of the screening programme.

These criteria apply across the UK, with some regional variations in programme details but consistent age-based eligibility.

References: The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme invites adults from age 50 years onwards for screening using FIT every two years ¹.