Clinicians at Wythenshawe Hospital, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, will soon be launching a new initiative to help improve early diagnosis for lung cancer and other respiratory conditions across North and East Manchester.

Manchester’s ‘Lung Health Checks’ will tackle poor early diagnosis and survival rates for lung cancer by providing quick, easily accessible screenings for those deemed at higher risk of lung conditions.

The project will utilise ultra low-dose CT scanners in first-of-their-kind mobile units, delivered in partnership by Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester Health and Care Commissioning (MHCC), Cobalt and Siemens Healthineers.

From next month (April 2019), Lung Health Check support units and CT vehicles will be placed in key community-based locations across North and East Manchester for the next two years. The first location is at the Etihad Campus, Manchester City Football Club’s stadium, where participants will be able to attend on selected dates – outside of match days.

Those eligible for screenings – smokers and former smokers aged between 55 and 80 – will receive a personal invitation for a Lung Health Check from their GP. The resident will arrange a suitable date and time to attend their nearest Lung Health Check site where a nurse will ask them some questions about their lung health and carry out a simple test to measure the amount of air in their lungs.

The specialist will then use the results to determine if the resident will benefit from having an ultra low-dose CT scan. If so, this scan can then be done immediately in the purpose-built mobile unit, and would take only a few minutes. The check will only take around 30 minutes in total.