National Bowel Screening Programme

The National Bowel Screening Programme is a free programme that aims to save lives by finding precancerous changes in the bowel or bowel cancer at an early stage when it can often be successfully treated. 

What is the National Bowel Screening Programme

The National Bowel Screening Programme is a free screening service offered to 60- to 74-year-olds who are eligible for publicly funded health care. It aims to detect precancerous changes or bowel cancer at an early stage when it can often be successfully treated. The programme went live in Te Tai Tokerau in November 2021 and as of March 2025:

• 73,292 people have been invited to participate
• 39,982 people have participated
• 1,670 positive results found
• 95 cancers detected

People who are diagnosed with bowel cancer and receive treatment when it is at an early stage have a 90 percent chance of long-term survival.

How the National Bowel Screening Programme works

People from the ages of 60-74 years are invited to participate in the programme around their 60th birthday and will receive a bowel screening test in the mail. This free simple test is quick, easy and can be done in the privacy of your own home.The completed bowel screening kit is sent back in the reply-paid envelope provided and within 3 weeks you will be contacted about your result and what it means for you.If you decide to stay on the programme, you will be sent a test kit in the mail every two years until you reach the age of 74.

Click on this link for a quick guide on how the bowel screening programme works.

https://info.health.nz/keeping-healthy/cancer-screening/bowel-screening/bowel-screening-programme#about-the-national-bowel-screening-programme-4120  

More Information

Further information on the programme is available:

*  on the Time to Screen website 

*  by calling the National Bowel Screening Programme on 0800 924 432 

* or emailing info@bowelscreening.health.nz

For information on bowel screening in te reo Māori, Cook Island Māori, Samoan, Tongan, Niuean, Hindi, Chinese and Korean - read more here.

If you have any disability, illness, or injury which may prevent you from doing the test or sending in your sample, please call 0800 924 432 to discuss a solution. If you have hearing difficulties email info@bowelscreening.health.nz.

Frequently asked questions