Keep your promise to lower bowel cancer screening age, Eastbourne MP tells Government

Lauren Backler lobbied to lower the screening age to 50 after her mother Fiona died of the disease aged just 55.

Victory for Eastbourne campaigner as bowel cancer screening age set to lower to 50

The Department for Health announced its decision to do so in August, but there has been no news since.

Eastbourne MP Mr Lloyd said, “I am disappointed that, since announcing the decision, the NHS has failed to reveal what plans they have to expand capacity to ensure the proper roll-out of bowel cancer screening from the age of 50.”

He said a 10-year plan for the NHS released this week ‘failed’ to reveal any clear steps to increase capacity for early bowel cancer diagnosis.

Eastbourne daughter hands in 400,000-strong cancer petition to Parliament in mum’s memory

So in a Westminster Hall debate on Tuesday (January 8), Mr Lloyd challenged the Health Minister Steve Brine MP on the omission of a capacity and funding plan for early diagnosis, specifically for bowel cancer.

Mr Lloyd said, “He failed to give me precise dates on the proposed roll-out nor a commitment on the resource and capacity requirements. I will keep up the pressure in Parliament until we get that start date.

“Lauren, her mum and the hundreds of thousands of folk across the UK backing her campaign deserve nothing less.”