Changes to the bowel cancer screening programme standards from 1 April 2025
Updated 15 April 2025
Applies to England
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Introduction
These revised screening standards for the NHS bowel cancer screening programme replace previous versions. They apply for data collected from 1 April 2025.
Summary of changes
BCSP-S01 FOBt coverage
- Minor wording adjustments to make the definition clearer
- Change to thresholds
BCSP-S02 FOBt uptake
- Minor wording adjustments to make the definition clearer
- Change to thresholds
- Minor reporting changes
BCSP-S03 FOBt uptake inequalities standard (new)
- Same as BCSP-S02, except calculated for deciles 1 and 2 (/ quintile 1)
- Reporting changes and development
Previously BCSP-S03 related to FOBt test kit turnaround time, but this has now moved to BCSP-S04.
BCSP-S04 FOBt kit turnaround time
- Minor wording adjustments to make the definition clearer
- Change to thresholds
- Minor reporting changes
Previously BCSP-04 related to bowel scope, which has now been removed.
BCSP-S05 FOBt CTC usage
- Minor wording adjustments to make the definition clearer
- Clarification added on why there are no performance thresholds
- Minor reporting changes
BCSP-S06 FOBt time to first offered SSP
- Major change to the definition: counting number of days from referral up to and including the first offered date, which means 1 less day for the standard (to be in line with other standard calculations)
- Change to thresholds
- Reporting changes and development
BCSP-S07 FOBt time to first offered diagnostic test
- Minor wording adjustments to make the definition clearer
- Change to thresholds
- Minor reporting changes
BCSP-S08 FOBt time through pathway, 28day standard (new)
- Major development to create a new report
Previously BCSP-S08 presented time from diagnostic test referral to attendance. The new standard now shows time through whole pathway following a test kit result of ‘further tests needed’.
BCSP-S09 pathology turnaround times
- Wording adjustments to make the definition clearer
- Change to account for R&D strategy
- Change to include all programme arms
- Thresholds maintained
- Reporting changes and development
BCSP-S10 proportion helpline calls answered
- Major change to the data source from BT dataset to hub call systems
- Inclusion of all programme calls
- Major reporting changes and development
BCSP-S11 FOBt diagnostic test uptake
- Minor wording adjustments to make the definition clearer
- Thresholds maintained
- Minor reporting changes
BCSP-S12 FOBt serrated polyp and adenoma detection rate
- Major change to the definition to include serrated polyps
- Change to account for R&D strategy
- Change to thresholds
- Major reporting changes and development
BCSP-S13 caecal intubation rate
- Wording adjustments to make the definition clearer
- Change to include all programme arms
- Thresholds maintained
- Reporting changes and development
BCSP-S14 scope withdrawal time
- Major definition change from ‘complete colonoscopy with a ‘normal’ (NAD) outcome’ to ‘complete colonoscopy where no therapy was performed’
- Change to include all programme arms
- Thresholds maintained
- Major reporting changes and development
BCSP-S15 polyp retrieval rate
- Wording adjustments to make the definition clearer
- Change to account for implementation of R&D strategy
- Change to include all programme arms
- Change to thresholds
- Reporting changes and development