FAQs

Residents who are aged between 55 and 74 and who smoke or have ever smoked and have a local GP are eligible. They will receive a letter from their GP inviting them to book a telephone assessment with a specialist nurse. Some people will receive invitations before others, this is due to the service being delivered in phases across the area.

If you’ve received a Lung Health Check invitation letter from your GP, you may be more at risk of problems with your lungs due to your age and smoking status.

It’s important to attend your Lung Health Check, as it could spot any problems with your lungs before you know they’re there. Some conditions, such as lung cancer, don’t display any symptoms until a later stage. If problems are spotted early, treatment could be simpler and more effective.

At the moment, appointments are available weekdays, evenings, and weekends.

The telephone appointment will last approximately 25 minutes and the nurse will ask some questions about the participant's breathing and overall lung health. They will also ask about their lifestyle, family, and medical history.

Those showing a higher risk score will then be offered a low dose CT scan on board a mobile unit. The current location of the unit can be found by selecting your location from the main Lung Health Check home page.

Yes, there is an easy read leaflet available. In addition, we can make extra time available on the mobile unit and make allowances for carers to attend.

Participants will receive an ultra-low-dose CT scan, taking a few seconds, which will look for problems with their lungs. Your height and weight will be checked by the nurse. The total time onboard the mobile unit will be around 30 minutes.

Participants will be able to ask any questions either before, during or after the CT scan. Information as to how to find your local unit and get there can be found by selecting our location from the main Lung Health Check home page.

Yes, there is a lift on the unit for those who require it.

Mobile units are located at convenient community locations, such as supermarkets and sports venues, where there’s also parking. Information as to how to find your local unit and get there can be found by selecting our location from the main Lung Health Check home page.

Yes. If you are eligible for this service, please book your transport to your Lung Health Check appointment in the usual way.

Please come for your appointment on your own and if you can as near to your appointment time as possible. If you need someone with you, please limit it to one person and they must also wear a face covering. As space is limited any person accompanying you may be asked to wait outside until you are ready for collection.

Please let us know if you have any additional needs at the time of booking the CT scan and we will do our best to accommodate you.

You may need to remove your coat, but you can leave your clothing and shoes on. If you’re someone who wears a bra, please wear one without underwire and please attend your appointment wearing a plain top (no zips, metal buttons or sequins).

Should anything be identified either during the discussion with a nurse or during the CT scan, then dependent upon what this is, you will be contacted by telephone or letter with the next steps (usually within four weeks). If you have any worries about this, you can speak to the nursing professionals in the booking team.

The programme is funded by NHS England and part of the national NHS ambition to improve early diagnosis and survival rates for those diagnosed with cancer.

The patient booklet is available in other languages on request. All information on the website can be translated into a number of languages at the touch of a button. People can request translation and interpretation services for their appointment through the telephone booking service. There is also an easy read leaflet available.

Initially, Hull was selected as a pilot site for the NHS Targeted Lung Health Check (TLHC) Programme because the city has one of the highest lung cancer mortality rates in England and statistics have shown that lung disease was too often detected at a later stage.

The Lung Health Check programme has since received extra funding to support delivery in North East Lincolnshire and East Riding as these are the next highest areas in our region for lung cancer mortality rates.

The scheme will be rolled out to North Lincolnshire, East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire by 2026.

This is a targeted programme for people who are at the greatest risk of developing lung problems, including lung cancer at a future stage. As with most screening programmes for people who are asymptomatic (displaying no symptoms) the resources are targeted at the people most at risk.

The people most at risk of developing lung problems, including lung cancer, are aged between 55 to under 75 who smoke or used to smoke. However, anyone who is worried about any of the following symptoms should see their GP as soon as possible:

• A persistent cough or change in your normal cough
• Coughing up blood
• Being short of breath
• Unexplained tiredness or weight loss
• An ache or pain when breathing or coughing
• Appetite loss

If you have any additional queries please email: [email protected]

Anyone in North East Lincolnshire who is eligible will be invited and this will be done in a phased approach by GP surgery. Initially all patients in the Immingham area will be invited from January 2023, followed by Grimsby and surrounding areas. We will actively promote when the unit moves and your GP surgery will notify you when your area is being invited