We have five separate doctors practices in Winsford. Three are in the same building in the centre of town a super-surgery. The patients are split as follows:

30% Swanlow Medical Centre, 27 Dene Drive. CW7 1AT

23% Weaver Vale Surgery, 27 Dene Drive. CW7 1AT

20% High Street Medical Practice, 27 Dene Drive. CW7 1AT

15% Willow Wood Surgery, Crook Lane, Wharton. CW7 3GY

12% Launceston Surgery, Launceston Close, CW7 1LY

This month is Bowel Cancer Awareness month. Bowel Cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer. There is a free screening pack is sent to residents over the age of 60 to 74 every two years, too many people aren’t returning the kit. The NHS since April 2021 is expanding the program to make it available to everyone aged 50 to 59 years over the next four years. It is very simple to do, can feel a bit messy, but the peace of mind it gives you is worth a tiny bit of inconvenience. I have a friend who has just been diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 57 so I would urge everyone that receives one to do the home test. If you’re over 75, you can ask for a kit every 2 years by phoning the freephone 0800 707 60 60.

It is called a faecal immunochemical test (FIT), you collect a small sample of poo on a small plastic stick and put it into the sample bottle and send it in to a lab for testing. It is checked for tiny amounts of blood. This speck of blood can be a sign of polyps or bowel cancer. Polyps are growths in the bowel. They are not cancer but may turn to cancer over time.

Always see a GP is you have any symptoms of bowel cancer at any age, even if you do one of these test kits, do not wait to have a screening test.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer/symptoms/

See a GP if you have these symptoms for 3 weeks or more. Don’t be embarrassed the doctor is used to talking about these symptoms.

Main symptoms of bowel cancer

Symptoms of bowel cancer may include:

• changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
• needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
• blood in your poo, which may look red or black
• bleeding from your bottom
• often feeling like you need to poo, even if you’ve just been to the toilet
• tummy pain
• bloating
• losing weight without trying
• feeling very tired for no reason

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

• your poo is black or dark red
• you have bloody diarrhoea

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.