RESIDENTS over 60 are being urged to take part in screening to detect bowel cancer at an early age when treatment is more likely to be effective.

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has joined forces with NHS North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to encourage residents to take part.

Screening leaflets will be handed out to passengers travelling to and from non-urgent appointments with the Patient Transport Service (PTS).

The leaflet distribution is part of an ongoing scheme launched last October aimed at making the most of the 1.5 million patient journeys undertaken by the patient transport service each year across the North West region.

PTS contract delivery manager Nathan Hearn said it was a good way to get the message across.

“The nature of our service means we spend time with many different patients every day,” he said.

“We recognised that, by joining forces with local health services, we could make even better use of that time by helping to share important health messages and information about locally available services.”

In addition, NWAS has developed a leaflet containing tips from the Mental Health Foundation to encourage people to boost their mental wellbeing, which will also be shared with PTS patients.

Previous leaflet topics which have bene handed out in the past are the seasonal flu vaccinations, staying well in winter and a collaboration with Age UK focussing on how to live healthily and happily for longer.

The most recent leaflet – Looking After Your Mental Wellbeing – was developed following survey feedback from PTS staff and patients who said they would like to see advice on mental health matters provided through the scheme.

PTS crews handing out health information leaflets is just one of a number of service improvements currently being made across North West Ambulance Service, as part of the Transforming Patient Care programme.

The programme has already seen the introduction of a number of initiatives to improve care for patients, by supporting them in the right way as early on in their NHS experiences as possible.

For more information about NWAS, visit www.nwas.nhs.uk or follow us on Twitter @NWAmbulance or find us on Facebook, search for nwasofficial.