Screening Services

Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening

The aim of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening is to find aneurysms (bulges in blood vessels) early and monitor or treat them. AAA screening doesn’t look for other health conditions. Treating an AAA early greatly reduces the chance of it rupturing and causing serious problems.

Having a large Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)

Who’ll be screened?

The Northern Ireland AAA Screening Programme offers AAA screening to all men in their 65th year in Northern Ireland and was implemented in June 2012 on a phased basis within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust area. Full roll-out of AAA screening commenced from July 2012 throughout the rest of Northern Ireland

Bowel cancer screening programme

The bowel cancer screening programme, which allows early detection and treatment, significantly improves outcomes for those with the disease which will save approximately 60 lives a year. 

The programme was announced in April 2010 and implementation has been rolled out across Northern Ireland on a phased basis. As of January 2012 bowel screening is now in place across all Health and Social Care Trusts and from April 2014 will also be extended to the age of 74.

Breast cancer screening programme

The breast screening programme covers the whole of Northern Ireland. The programme invites women by GP practice every three years. A woman might be aged 50, 51 or 52 when she receives her first invite to attend – the first invitation will be before the age of 53.

Cervical cancer screening programme

The aim of the cervical cancer screening programme is to reduce the number of women who develop cervical cancer and the number of women who die from it.

Going for a smear test could save your life – Alison’s story

Download or view our smear test guide

Farm Families Health Checks Programme

The farming community is particularly susceptible to poor health and wellbeing, partly driven by the wide demands impacting on farmers across a range of social and economic factors. They often work long and anti-social hours which can lead to social isolation and often difficulty accessing traditional health care services.