Bowel Screening Waitemata

National Bowel Screening Programme - Waitematā DHB

Bowel cancer is the second-highest cause of cancer death in New Zealand. The free National Bowel Screening Programme is available to Waitematā DHB residents aged 60 to 74* years. The test can find cancer early when it can often be successfully treated.

Every two years you will be sent an invitation letter, a consent form and a free bowel screening test kit. The test is done at home and is clean and simple to do. It can detect tiny traces of blood present in a small sample of your bowel motion (poo) which may be an early warning sign that something is wrong. 

People who are diagnosed with early-stage bowel cancer have a 90% chance of long term survival if they receive treatment early.

Screening is for people who do not have symptoms of bowel cancer. Anyone with symptoms should see their doctor.

Find out more on how to do the test in the following video.

Waitematā DHB’s Bowel Screening staff can speak many languages including Chinese, Samoan, Tongan and Hindi. If you, or someone you know who is eligible for this test, would like information about the test in one of these languages please email us. 

See below instructions on how to do the kit:

• Chinese
• Samoan
• Tongan
• Hindi

*Waitematā DHB residents under the age of 60 who were invited to do a test through the bowel screening pilot (2012-2017) will continue to be invited for screening every two years if they still live in the Waitematā DHB area.