Free NHS lung health checks
People who live in Bassetlaw aged from 55 to less than 75, who smoke or used to smoke and have a Bassetlaw GP will be offered a free NHS lung health check.
Run by specially-trained nurses, lung health checks aim to find out how well your lungs are working.
A lung health check can give you the reassurance that your lungs are healthy or can help find problems early – often before you notice anything is wrong. If lung conditions, or other problems with your breathing or lungs are found early, treatment could be simpler and more successful.
What is a Lung Health Check?
Lung health checks are completely free. Appointments are carried out over the telephone with a specialised nurse, lasting approximately 20–30 minutes. The nurse will ask you some questions about your breathing and overall lung health. They will also ask you about your lifestyle, family and medical history. You do not need to do a breathing test; the nurse can get all the information they need from the questions.
As part of your Lung Health Check, you may be offered a low dose CT scan. This is to check for early signs of lung cancer as well as other lung diseases. You will have plenty of time to talk to the nurse and ask any questions you may have.
If you are invited to have a low-dose CT scan, this will take place in a mobile unit at in Bassetlaw. The CT scan only takes a few seconds to be done.
To read more Frequently Asked Questions visit out Lung Health Check FAQ page Bassetlaw Lung Health Checks – FAQs – Better In Bassetlaw
How to book your Lung Health Check
If eligible, you will receive a letter from Ashfield Engage inviting you to have a Lung Health Check. You will be called by a member of the Ashfield Engage team and asked several questions to confirm they have the correct details and that you are still eligible. If you are, an appointment will be booked for you to have a lung health check telephone consultation with a nurse.
Why is it important to look after your lungs?
Your lungs work hard every day so you can breathe and they don’t get much rest. They carry oxygen from the air into your blood and release carbon dioxide from your blood into the air. Your body’s cells need this oxygen to work properly. Your lungs have a natural defence system to keep out dirt and germs but several things can damage this, meaning they can’t do their job as well.
There are lots of things that you can do to look after your lungs, which are just as important if you already have a lung condition, including:
- being more active
- eating a balanced diet
- stopping smoking
- making sure you have all your vaccinations if you are over 65 years old or have a long term condition
- knowing the warning signs and symptoms of lung conditions including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and lung cancer.
It’s also important to be able to spot when things might not quite be right. A persistent cough can be an early warning sign of lung disease. Other symptoms to look out for are feeling more breathless, wheezing, losing weight, coughing up blood or noticing chest pain. Don’t ignore or dismiss these symptoms; go and speak to your GP.