Introduction A study to assess the impact of the introduction of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) on the workload of a colorectal unit in a medium-size general hospital covering a population of 400,000, and to compare it to the initially projected figures.

Methods We used the BCSP database, hospital episode statistics and the locally held colorectal cancer Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) database to identify all patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer diagnosis between April 2007 and November 2012. Demographic data, pathological data, MDT outcomes and treatment details were examined.

Results During the study period of 66 months, a total of 194 patients with screening-detected colorectal cancer were referred to the local MDT (mean 32 cases per annum). Of these, 144 patients had a cancer resection (74.2%, mean 24 cases per annum). The remaining 50 cases included unfit patients as well as those with metastatic disease at presentation and patients with polyp cancers not requiring resection. Furthermore, there was an increase in numbers seen from 2010 onwards, coinciding with the increase in the screening age limit to 75 years.

Conclusion This study measures the effect of the national BCSP on the surgical workload and quantifies the proportion of patients requiring surgery. It was projected that 33 people per annum newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer would be referred from the BCSP centre to the local MDT¹; this study confirms this projection.

Disclosure of Interest None Declared.

Reference

1. BCSP Publication No. 3 (2008): Guidance for public health and commissioners.