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Guidance

Bowel cancer screening: colonoscopy

This leaflet provides information on having a colonoscopy if further tests are needed after using the NHS bowel cancer screening test kit.

Updates to this page

From:
NHS England
Published:
1 February 2015
Last updated:
23 June 2025
Show all updates

  1. Changed content type to guidance.

  2. Added 30 new translations in HTML, replacing 10 translations in PDF.

  3. Clarification made to section on how we use personal information.

  4. Full review of the having a colonoscopy leaflet to improve accessibility and update in line with programme data. Previous PDF version removed.

  5. Updating confidentiality section, replacing mention of Public Health England with NHS England.

  6. Addition of plain A4 PDF version for printing, to provide for people unable to access this information online.

  7. Updated information on the use of personal data in the HTML document.

  8. Updated information on data use, clarified terms and removed PDF.

  9. Updated medicine instructions in Before your colonoscopy section.

  10. A new version of the colonoscopy leaflet is now available. We send this leaflet to people who have had an abnormal screening result using the new faecal occult test (FIT) kit for bowel cancer screening. This new leaflet is also available in HTML format. It can be viewed and printed in large print, and accessed using a screen reader. Translations are also available in 10 languages.

  11. Removed translated versions of the leaflet which are out-of-date.

  12. Addition of link to new audio version of leaflet

  13. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Bowel cancer screening: having a colonoscopy

HTML

Details

The NHS sends this leaflet to anyone who needs to have further tests after using the NHS bowel cancer screening test kit.

Free printed copies of this leaflet are available to the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme hubs (and their mailing companies) to send with letters referring people for a specialist screening practitioner (SSP) appointment to discuss having a colonoscopy.

For more information, see the ‘order printed leaflets’ section of guidance on how to access and order leaflets.

To request another format, you can phone 0300 311 22 33 or email england.contactus@nhs.net.

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