Lung MOTs available for smokers and ex-smokers

The quick, free checks can help find lung cancer at an early stage – before you might have any symptoms – when it is much more treatable and can help save lives. Most visitors to the lung health checks will get reassurance that everything is OK.

The checks are available this summer to smokers and former smokers aged 55-74 based at the following GP practices:

• Reddish Family Practice
• Heaton Norris Medical Practice
• Park View Group Practice
• Alvanley Family Practice
• Brinnington Surgery
• Bredbury Medical Centre
• Vernon Park Surgery
• Woodley Village Surgery

The mobile clinic is based at Morrisons, Stockport Road West, Bredbury, Stockport SK6 2BN and runs until early September 2024; more than 1,000 Stockport people have already attended their appointment.

People who are invited for a lung health check will talk to specialist nurse where they will answer some general health and lifestyle questions which will determine whether they are ‘high’ or ‘low’ risk. If deemed high risk, they will be offered a low dose computed tomography (CT) scan of their lungs for further investigation on the same day and be enrolled into the programme.

Dr Monica Saksena Joye, GP Principal, Reddish Family Practices, said: “Lung Health Checks help the NHS to spot any lung cancer symptoms earlier, when it is much more treatable. If you’re registered with a doctor mentioned on the list from the Reddish, Brinnington or Bredbury areas, are a smoker or used to smoke, you’ll be sent an invite through the post or via text message.”

Dr Karen McEwan, Clinical Lead for Cancer in Stockport, said: “Please do come along for your appointment. You’ll have a chat with a nurse and fill out a questionnaire to look at your risk. About half of the people who visit may also need a low-dose scan which we will also do on the truck. It will most likely offer you some reassurance. But it could save your life!”

Councillor Keith Holloway, Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “We are looking to provide the best health and care for the residents of Stockport, and this targeted approach is one of the ways we can do this. It helps us raise awareness of the importance of early detection to improve treatment and make sure people’s lives are as happy and healthy as possible.”

These checks are the latest phase of the Greater Manchester Targeted Lung Health Check Programme, a drive to help improve earlier diagnosis of lung cancer and save more lives. The programme is jointly organised by the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. There are plans to expand the programme further in the coming months and years to ensure that all eligible participants across Stockport are invited in the future.

So far more than 500 patients have been diagnosed with lung cancer as a result of the Lung Health Checks in Greater Manchester. However, almost 80% of these patients were diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 meaning they were more likely to be eligible for curative treatment.

People diagnosed with lung cancer at the earliest stage are nearly 20 times more likely to survive for five years than those whose cancer is caught late.

Eligible people will be contacted by letter or via text message.

If you have received your invitation but missed your appointment, please call 0161 529 0900 to rebook or phone 0161 529 0900 to find out about other lung check locations in Greater Manchester if Bredbury isn’t accessible for you.

If you have concerning symptoms, you should speak to your GP, who will be able to refer you for tests if needed. You can read about the symptoms of lung cancer here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lung-cancer/symptoms/

For more information on the Targeted Lung Health Check programme please visit the www.mft.nhs.uk/lunghealthcheck/

If you need help stopping smoking, please visit Healthy Stockport at or call 0161 474 3141.