• The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme:
• Automatically offers screening to people 60–69 years of age every 2 years using the faecal occult blood test (FOBt). From 1 January 2010, the age range for screening will be increased to 60–74 years, starting with the early-implementer sites and progressively rolling out through the country.
• Screens people older than the maximum automatic screening age of 70 or 74 years on request. Repeated requests for screening will be allowed every 2 years, but screening will not be offered automatically.
• Offers diagnostic testing for people with an abnormal screening test result. Colonoscopy is usually offered; other imaging techniques are occasionally used if colonoscopy is not appropriate.
• Five programme hubs are responsible for:
• Inviting people for screening and sending out FOBt kits.
• Testing FOBt kits after they have been returned and providing results to participants and GPs.
• Arranging appointments at screening centres for people with abnormal test results.
• Approximately 100 local screening centres are responsible for:
• Reviewing people with abnormal results in nurse-run clinics and arranging diagnostic testing for bowel cancer.
• Discharging people back to the screening programme if their screening results are normal and they are younger than 70 years of age or to the care of the GP if they are 70 years of age or older.
• Referring people requiring treatment for cancer to a named consultant.
• Arranging surveillance for people identified with medium- and high-risk polyps.
• GPs are not directly involved in the delivery of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. They will be informed when screening invitations are being sent out in their area and will be sent copies of the results of screening.
• The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme is not intended to replace other methods of screening for people known to be at high risk for bowel cancer. There are separate guidelines for colorectal cancer screening in high-risk groups, including people with [British Society of Gastroenteroloy and Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, 2002]:
• A previous diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
• Colonic adenomas.
• Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
• A family history of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer or familial adenomatous polyposis.
• A strong family history of bowel cancer, indicated by two first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer or one first-degree relative with colorectal cancer when younger than 45 years of age.

[NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, 2006]