MORE than 12,000 local people were invited to take up the offer of a free lung health check as part of a highly successful Lung Cancer Screening programme in Southport and Formby.

The programme, delivered by Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital on behalf of Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, ran between:- January and July 2026 and saw a mobile CT scanner based at Dunes Splash World from:- 9 March until 11 July 2026.

The initiative invited people aged 55 to 74 with a recorded smoking history to take part in a free lung health check, designed to identify lung cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage.

The response from local residents has been outstanding. Uptake reached 68% making it the highest participation rate recorded anywhere in Cheshire and Merseyside since the programme began.

During the programme:-

• 12,606 people were booked for a lung health check
• More than 8,000 residents completed their lung health check
• Over 4,800 CT scans were carried out at the scanner based at Dunes Splash World
• 76 patients were referred to Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's Southport and Ormskirk services for further investigation
• 8 lung cancers have been identified so far
• 350 people agreed to be referred to smoking cessation services for support to quit smoking

The programme is helping to save lives by detecting cancer earlier, often before symptoms develop. Early diagnosis significantly improves treatment options and outcomes for patients.

Dr Octavia Stevens, Cancer Lead at Southport and Formby PCN said:- "The response from people in Southport and Formby has been fantastic. Achieving the highest uptake rate seen across Cheshire and Merseyside shows that local people understand the importance of early detection and are willing to take up opportunities to look after their health. The identification of 8 cancers so far demonstrates exactly why this programme is so important. Lung cancer often has no symptoms in its early stages, and finding it early gives people the best possible chance of successful treatment."

Across Cheshire and Merseyside, the Lung Cancer Screening programme has already demonstrated the benefits of proactive screening. Since launching in 2021, more than 980 lung cancers have been identified, with over 80% diagnosed at Stage 1 or Stage 2, when treatment is more likely to be successful and potentially curative.

Residents who attended the screening programme praised the convenience of having the CT scanner located in the heart of Southport at Dunes Splash World, making it easier for local people to access potentially life-saving checks.

Although the mobile scanner has now moved on from Southport, eligible residents in North Sefton can still book a lung health check through Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital by telephoning:- 0151-254-3032. Anyone assessed as requiring a CT scan will currently be offered an appointment at the nearest available scanning location, either in Wirral or Warrington.

The mobile CT scanner is expected to return to South Sefton in March 2027.

To find out more about what happens during a lung health check, watch the Cheshire and Merseyside Lung Cancer Screening video.

Further information, including answers to frequently asked questions, is available on the Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance website.