North West pioneers national rollout of life-saving lung health checks

After a successful run in the North West the Targeted Lung Health Checks programme will be rolled out across the country by 2027.

The programme, aimed at detecting lung cancer early, is targeted at people aged between 55 and 74 who have ever smoked.

The national rollout builds on the success of the programme in the North West, where it has been making an impact on public health since its introduction in 2016.

Areas such as Liverpool, Halton, Knowsley, St Helens, and South Sefton have been offering these crucial screenings since 2016.

In these areas alone, around 130,000 people have been invited to participate in the checks.

Despite these efforts, only about 50% of those invited have attended their appointments.

The TLHC programme is targeted at people aged between 55 and 74 who have ever smoked.

Gordon Darnell who lives in Liverpool had no symptoms when he received an invitation for a lung health check. Feeling as healthy as ever, he could have easily ignored the letter. However, his decision to attend the screening turned out to be life-saving.

On Christmas Eve 2021, Gordon was diagnosed with stage one lung cancer. The news came as a shock. "I couldn’t understand how I could have lung cancer and not feel ill or have any symptoms." Gordon recalls.

Thanks to the early detection, Gordon underwent keyhole surgery to remove the tumour, avoiding the need for further treatment. He has since made a full recovery, and just a month after his surgery, he was able to go on holiday to Spain. "It was like it never happened, and that was because I played my part and went for that check-up," he says..

The benefits of the TLHC programme extend beyond lung cancer detection. Gordon’s wife, Murial Darnell, also participated in the screening in 2023.

While her lungs were found to be healthy, the scan revealed mild crystallisation in her heart arteries. This early detection allowed her to begin treatment immediately, potentially preventing a future heart attack or stroke.

With the Government’s decision to roll out the TLHC programme nationally, the expansion promises to save thousands more lives by detecting lung cancer and other serious conditions at their earliest, most treatable stages.

As the North West continues to lead by example, residents across England are encouraged to take advantage of the programme as it becomes available in their areas.