East and North Hertfordshire

The East & North Hertfordshire programme has been in place since March 2024 with eligible patients receiving a letter from InHealth inviting them to book an initial telephone appointment to discuss their lung health and assess whether further investigations, such as a low-dose CT scan, may be appropriate.

The programme originally focused on GP practices serving populations in areas including Letchworth, Stevenage, Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City. If you are registered at one of these practices as a smoker, or as ever smoked, you should have received a letter.

Following the successful implementation of this initial phase, planning is now underway to extend the programme further across East and North Hertfordshire, enabling more eligible residents to benefit from earlier detection and improved outcomes.

Patients do not need to contact their GP practice to access the programme and should wait to receive an invitation if they meet the eligibility criteria. Invitations are issued in phases to ensure appointments can be managed effectively and patients receive timely support throughout the process.

What to expect

If you are eligible, you will receive a letter or text message inviting you for an initial Lung Health Check.The initial assessment will take place over the phone or in person with a health professional. During the initial Lung Health Check, you will be asked some questions about your breathing, overall lung health, lifestyle and family and medical history.

There are three possible results from your lung health check:

• No problems found – the health professional may find nothing further to investigate and you will be discharged from the lung health check programme. We will write to your GP to tell them this.
• Referral to your GP – if problems with your breathing or lung health are found, you might be referred to your GP. The team will write to your GP so they know about the outcome.
• Offered a scan of your lungs – If you are assessed to be at a higher risk of lung cancer now or in the future you will be offered a scan of your lungs (a Low Dose CT scan). 

Location and contact details

The location of the mobile CT scanning unit will change depending on the location of the GP practices. Eligible patients who are invited for a low-dose CT scan will be informed of the location of the unit.

GP practices involved

• Letchworth
  • The Nevells Road Surgery
  • The Garden City Surgery
  • Birchwood Surgery – all patients registered as having smoked have been invited.
• Stevenage:
  • Stanmore Medical Group
  • The Symonds Green Health Centre
  • Bedwell Medical Centre
  • King George Surgery
  • Shephall Way Health Centre – all patients registered as having smoked have been invited.
    
    Patients of the following practices have yet to be invited:
• Hatfield:
  • Burvill House Surgery
  • Lister House Surgery
  • Wrafton House Surgery
• Welwyn Garden City:
  • Hall Grove Surgery
  • Peartree Lane Surgery. 
    

Relevant resources

POSTERS TO DISPLAY IN GP PRACTICES

 Tagrted Lung Health Check launch press release – March 2024

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