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St George’s Hospital’s Bowel Cancer Screening Centre is responsible for delivering Bowel Cancer Screening services to the population of South West London, which includes the following boroughs; Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth.

Bowel Cancer

Bowel Cancer (also known as colorectal cancer) is a form of cancer that affects the large bowel.  The bowel is made of up the colon and the rectum; cancer can start in either of these parts of the bowel and is considered a major health problem in the UK – it is the fourth most common cancer and the second biggest cancer killer.

Services offered

FIT Bowel Cancer Screening
Polyp Surveillance
Lynch Surveillance

FIT Bowel Cancer Screening

The National Bowel Cancer Screening is offered to men and women, every two years, between the ages of 54-74.  The kit used is called the FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test) kit.

The FIT kit is a small sample tube that comes with a sample stick attached to the cap of the tube.  The process of using this kit involves scraping the sample stick along your poo, until all grooves are covered, and then placing it back inside the sample tube to be sent off to the London regional BCSP HUB, for testing.

A positive test may indicate the presence of blood in your poo and will automatically generate a referral to the Screening Centre.  This referral appointment will involve the patient being seen by a Specialist Screening Practitioner, where the FIT results are reviewed and the option for an endoscopic investigation is discussed; patients will be offered a colonoscopy appointment within 14 days of the Specialist Screening Practitioner appointment. The endoscopic procedure will be performed by an accredited Bowel Cancer Screening endoscopist.

Approximately 1 in 10 of those referred for an endoscopic investigation has bowel cancer identified.

Screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an earlier stage when treatment is more likely to be successful.  Screening can also help to prevent the development of bowel cancer by the removal of pre-cancerous growths in the bowel, called polyps.

The Screening programme is currently rolling out FIT screening to a lower age cohort down to 50-year-olds. The 4th phase of this roll out will be during 2024 with the aim to begin inviting 52- & 50-year-olds by 2025. This will then mean the SWL Bowel Cancer Screening Programme will be inviting patients aged 50- to 74-year-olds.

Image of clinical staff with a patient

Image of clinical staff with a patient

Dr John Louis-Auguste, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Director of SWL Bowel Cancer Screening at St Georges’ NHS Trust, said:

Dr John Louis-Auguste

Dr John Louis-Auguste

“Bowel cancer is the second leading cause of all cancer deaths in the UK, but if caught early, treatment can be more effective, and deaths can be reduced.

Many people find anything to do with their bowel embarrassing and this makes them reluctant to have screening. However, it is very important, and I would encourage everyone who is invited to come for their appointment, it could save their life.”

The team comprises of:

  • Bowel Screening Endoscopist Team
  • Specialist Screening Practitioners Team (SSP’s)
  • Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Management Tea
  • Admin and Clerical Team
  • Health Promotion Team

Patient Information Leaflets

Key Staff

  • Dr John Louis Auguste: Director of South West London Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
  • Ms Libby Shepherd: Deputy Director of South West London Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
  • Danielle Whiter: Programme Manager, South West London Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
  • Bethan Williams: Lead Specialist Screening Practitioner, South West London Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
  • Karim Zaveri: Senior Administrator, South West London Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
  • Lisa-Lyna Abangma: Health Improvement Specialist, South West London Bowel Cancer Screening Programme

Find us

South West London Bowel Cancer Screening Centre
Endoscopy Unit
1st Floor St James Wing
Blackshaw Road
Tooting
SW17 0QT