Last updated January 25, 2021
14/20 DHB's currently rolled out
The NZ free bowel screening programme will be rolled out progressively throughout the country across all district health boards with the expected dates listed below. The programme is for 60-74-year-olds and is expected to detect between 500-700 bowel cancers a year.
July 2017
Hutt Valley DHB
Wairarapa DHB
January 2018
Waitemata DHB - transitioned from bowel screening pilot to national screening programme (pilot ran from 2012 - for 6 years)
April 2018
Southern DHB - has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the country
June 2018
Counties Manukau DHB - delayed - joined July 10th
August 2018
Nelson Marlborough DHB - August 14th
November 2018
Lakes DHB - Delayed - joined Feb 19th 2019
Hawkes Bay DHB - October 9th (Bowel cancer most common registered cancer in this region for both men and women 2018)
June 2019
Whanganui DHB - Delayed until the end of the year when the new IT system goes live - Joined October 22nd 2019 with new IT System expected in May 2020.
Mid Central DHB - Delayed until the end of the year when the new IT system goes live - joinedNovember 12th
February 1st 2020 - 30 June 2020
Canterbury DHB (includes Chatham Islands) -delayed - joined Oct 2020
Capital & Coast DHB- delayed
South Canterbury DHB - June 2020 - delayed - joined Oct 2020
Tairawhiti DHB - Delayed - joined August 2020
Remaining DHBS By Nov 2021
Northland DHB
Bay of Plenty DHB
Waikato DHB
Auckland Central DHB - Joined Nov 2020
Taranaki DHB
West Coast DHB
These dates may change as each DHB must demonstrate the ability to deliver a clinically safe and effective bowel screening service before it joins the bowel screening programme. Covid-19 response has delayed the rollout until November 2021.
(Resource: Time to screen)
If you are worried about your bowel health or are under the age of 60, or your DHB catchment area above has yet to receive the free bowel screening programme and you would like a free bowel screening kit, contact us here and we will send you one as part of our Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust screening programme. Remember bowel cancer is treatable and preventable if you catch it early enough.
