Public health news: Targeted Lung Health Checks

A new Lung Cancer Screening Service has launched across Sunderland and South Tyneside.

Public Health Newsletter: September 2023

  1. Are you registered with a GP in South Tyneside or Sunderland?
  2. Are you aged between 55 and 74 years of age?
  3. Have you ever smoked (no matter how long ago you stopped)?

If the answer to these 3 questions is yes, then you are eligible for a free NHS Lung Health Check. 

We want to check your lungs are working well and to help find problems sooner, you may have a higher risk of developing lung cancer. 

A Targeted Lung Health Check (TLHC) looks at the health of your lungs. It is done in two parts:

  1. Firstly, you will have a phone call at home or a face to face meeting with a health professional. They will ask you about your lung health and assess your risk of developing lung cancer. If you are at higher risk, you will be invited to attend for a lung CT scan.
  2. The lung CT scan takes a detailed picture of your lungs. This will be looked at by experts in this area. If they find any problems you will be asked to come back for more treatment.

Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. In the early stages of lung cancer you may not have any signs or symptoms. Research shows that a lung scan can help reduce your risk of dying from lung cancer by around 25%.  

Stopping smoking can lower your risk of developing lung cancer. Lung cancer can develop at any time and it's important to look out for anything that is unusual for you such as:

  • a cough that won't go away
  • a change in your normal cough
  • coughing up blood
  • shortness of breath
  • being more tired than usual
  • not feeling hungry
  • losing weight without trying

You will shortly be contacted by the TLHC Programme, please don't ignore your invite letter. Contact us and book your free Lung Health Check as soon as possible.

For more information about Targeted Lung Health Checks call 0191 4041277 or e-mail stslunghealthcheck@nhs.net.