A pioneering lung health screening programme has returned to The Springs, Leeds for a second time following a highly successful clinical trial and further funding commitment from Yorkshire Cancer Research.
Since launching in November 2018 Leeds Lung Health Check has screened over 7,000 people across the city, with nearly 300 being diagnosed with cancer. More than two thirds of these were early-stage cancers that are more treatable with surviving odds much higher.
Leeds Lung Health Check last visited The Springs for two weeks in July 2019 and has returned as part of a further £4.5 million roll out programme. A mobile screening unit is currently located in the car park of The Springs, providing free invitational screening for people aged between 55 and 80 in Leeds.
Leeds Lung Health Check is delivered in partnership with Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, The University of Leeds and Leeds City Council, and is one of the largest lung screening trials in the world. The programme provides convenient lung check-ups with smokers and former smokers invited for chest scans, primarily looking for signs of early-stage lung cancer, but also other cancers such as breast, kidney and oesophageal.
Suzanne Rogerson, Lead Nurse – Research and Innovation, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said,
“We are extremely grateful to The Springs, Leeds for hosting us in their carpark again. The cost of travelling to screening appointments is a barrier to attendance for some people. The Springs is served by public transport and parking is free which makes our Leeds Lung Health Check screening units accessible to participants who live in the local community.”
Rachel Vickers, Senior Commercial Manager at Scarborough Group International, developer and asset manager of The Springs, Leeds, said,
“We are pleased to be able to support such an important health screening programme, helping with the early diagnosis, treatment and peace of mind for our local community. The Springs is highly accessible by all modes of transport and offers free car parking and convenience to support maximum screening output. We wholeheartedly support programmes such as this which save so many lives.”
Dr Kathryn Scott, Chief Executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said:
“The Leeds Lung Health Check has saved lives in the city by finding cancers at a very early stage when they are much easier to treat. It’s also played an important role in providing the evidence and best practice guidance required for the NHS to introduce a nation-wide lung screening programme.
“Our additional funding commitment enables more follow-up scans for those at high risk of lung cancer. It also gives more people in Leeds the opportunity to have a scan for the first time, extending the programme’s reach even further.”
The new funding means the programme will now continue until late 2024.