Bowel Screening Wales launches care worker guidance

Bowel Screening Wales has launched two new booklets to support carers and care agency staff in helping someone to complete a bowel screening kit.

One booklet is aimed at carers who might need to support someone they care for to do the test. The other is for staff working in settings such as care and residential homes.

Bowel Screening Wales is one of the NHS screening programmes run by Public Health Wales. The programme offers home testing for the early signs of bowel cancer to people aged between 60 and 74 living in Wales.

Participants receive a test kit and information leaflet at home and are asked to collect small samples of their bowel movements, and this can be difficult for some people who require care.

The new booklets aim to support carers and care agency staff in completing a bowel screening test kit on behalf of somebody they care for. It provides them with information about informed decision making, mental capacity and answers some frequently asked questions about Bowel Screening Wales.

The booklets were developed by the Screening Engagement Team of Public Health Wales and were reviewed by carers groups and home care staff across Wales.

Carers and care agency staff can access the booklets from the Bowel Screening Wales website.

http://www.bowelscreening.wales.nhs.uk/information-for-carers