Health checks and screenings

In Southwark, women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 49 who test negative for HPV – meaning they are at very low risk of cervical cancer over the next 10 years – are invited for for cervical screening every 5 years. If your sample indicates the presence of HPV, or you have a recent history of HPV, you will be invited to more frequent screenings to check HPV has cleared and – if not – if any cell changes have developed.

If you’re aged 50 to 64 you’re invited for cervical screening every 5 years.

If you haven't received an invitation letter but are due for screening, contact your GP.

You can ask for a female nurse if you prefer when booking your appointment. 

If you need additional support, you can ask for a double-length appointment or other reasonable adjustments. You can ask for additional support if, for example, you have:

• a learning disability
• autism
• severe mental illness

CliniQ provides cervical screening services designed for transgender and non-binary people at the Caldecot Centre, King’s College Hospital.

Watch a video about the cervical screening service for transgender and non-binary people (also in British Sign Language).

My Body Back clinics provides cervical screening designed for those who have experienced sexual violence, including female genital mutilation (FGM).

View translated NHS resources in different languages about cervical cancer screening.

Download an easy-read guide on the benefits and risks of cervical screening.

You should be invited for breast cancer screening every 3 years if you're a woman or a trans man who:

• has not had both breasts removed (double mastectomy)
• is aged 50 to 71 

If you get a letter from the NHS asking you to attend cancer screening, book an appointment by calling the phone number in the letter.

Find out about breast screening appointments in London.

You can find more information on breast screening from the NHS.

View translated NHS resources on breast screening and an easy-read guide on the benefits and risks of breast screening.

You should also check your own breasts regularly. If you notice any changes, contact your GP.

If you're a Southwark resident aged 50 to 74 years old, you'll be sent a bowel cancer home testing kit in the post every 2 years. The national age eligibility starts from 54.

View translated NHS resources on the benefits and risks of bowel cancer screening.

Read information on how to use the home bowel testing kit. 

View the easy-read guide on the benefits and risks of bowel cancer screening.

Contact your GP if you have any symptoms of bowel cancer that persist for more than 3 weeks.

People in Southwark aged 55 to 74 who are registered as current or former smokers with their GP may get a free NHS lung health check if their GP surgery is part of the scheme. 

This is because smokers have a higher risk of developing lung problems. 

The lung health check can uncover problems, including lung cancer, before symptoms appear, and when it's easier to treat.

If the NHS has contacted you about a lung health check, it's important that you go. Even if you feel fine, the check can uncover problems long before you notice them. The lung health check is for people without symptoms. 

If you’ve noticed a change or symptoms of lung cancer, do not wait for your lung health check appointment. Tell your GP as soon as possible.

Today, 1 in 4 Black men will get prostate cancer, and 1 in 12 will die from the disease.  

All Black men aged 45 and over, are encouraged to ask their GP Practice for a PSA blood test. A PSA blood test involves taking a blood sample from the arm and it can help identify if you need to be sent to hospital for further tests for prostate cancer.