VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Bowel Cancer: Screening

Asked by Adam DanceLiberal DemocratDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 7 April 2026UIN 122581

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support NHS Somerset to increase participation in bowel cancer screening in Yeovil constituency.

Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson

Coverage of bowel cancer screening has been increasing in recent years. In 2019, 60.5% of people took the offer up. Now, it is 71.8%.

To further increase coverage across England, including Yeovil, NHS England is doing the following:

  • delivering new approaches to communicating with people about screening through the NHS App;
  • incorporating the reasonable adjustment flag into screening to ensure that people get information in the way they want, and that adjustments are made to support people at appointments;
  • has recently updated the bowel cancer screening leaflets and is updating the bowel cancer screening letters to improve accessibility; and
  • has made the bowel cancer screening faecal immunochemical test kit more accessible for people who are blind or partially sighted.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim