The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme has now completed the national rollout of digital pre-invitations across England for eligible participants who have previously taken part in bowel cancer screening.
The move is part of the NHS’s wider digital-first approach to communication and is already having a significant impact.
One Million Digital Invitations Sent
Since August 2025, more than one million digital pre-invitations have been sent through the NHS App. Around 30% have been successfully delivered and read by patients, meaning a paper letter was not required.
This represents a substantial shift towards more efficient communication with patients while supporting the NHS’s sustainability and digital transformation ambitions.
Why This Matters for General Practice
Although the invitations are managed centrally through the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, general practice teams continue to play an important role in supporting screening uptake.
Practices are often the first point of contact for patients who have questions about screening, and the success of digital communications depends on patients being able to access and engage with the NHS App.
Encouraging patients to download the NHS App and enable notifications can help ensure they receive important healthcare communications promptly, including screening invitations and reminders.
Supporting Earlier Diagnosis
Bowel cancer remains one of the most common cancers in the UK, and screening continues to be one of the most effective ways of identifying potential concerns before symptoms develop.
Anything that improves engagement with screening programmes has the potential to support earlier diagnosis and better patient outcomes.
For practices focused on prevention, population health management and improving access, digital screening communications are another example of how technology is being used to support proactive care.
Resources Available
The NHS has produced a range of materials to help raise awareness of digital-first communications within the bowel cancer screening programme, including Reference materials and posters available through the NHS Futures platform.
Practices may wish to use these resources alongside existing patient engagement campaigns, particularly during the summer months when screening participation can traditionally be more challenging.
What Practices Can Do Now
A few simple actions can help support the programme:
- Encourage patients to download and use the NHS App.
- Remind patients to enable app notifications.
- Promote bowel cancer screening as part of routine health conversations where appropriate.
- Display available awareness materials in waiting rooms and on practice websites or social media channels.
- Ensure staff understand that some screening communications may now arrive digitally rather than by post.
As the NHS continues to expand digital communication across screening programmes, practices that actively support patient engagement with the NHS App will be well placed to help patients benefit from these developments.
For more information about the NHS App, visit: www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/
Questions about the digital bowel cancer screening programme can be directed to: england.digitalscreening@nhs.net