Guidance

Cancer screening: informed consent

These guidelines give commissioners, providers and healthcare professionals in cancer screening information on consent to screening and procedures.

• From: NHS England
• Published: 1 January 2009
• Last updated: 24 July 2025
  Show all updates

  1. 24 July 2025

     Changed lead organisation from Public Health England to NHS England.

  2. 14 December 2018

     Updated 'Consent to cancer screening' with information on the upper age limit of eligibility for routine breast screening invitations.

  3. 13 October 2017

     Link provided to information about opting out of screening invitations.

  4. 1 January 2009

     First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Consent to cancer screening

PDF, 613 KB, 28 pages

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Details

Please note: this guidance is currently under review

These guidelines provide information on consent and ceasing patients from screening programmes. The document covers information and advice on:

• breast screening
• cervical screening
• bowel cancer screening
• mental capacity and consent

It also provides several template letters for patients withdrawing from programmes.

Information for people wishing to opt out of receiving screening invitations is available.