Screening and Vaccinations
Screening is a way of finding out if people have a higher chance of having a health problem, so that early treatment can be offered or information given to help them make informed decisions.
What is Screening?
Screening is a way of identifying apparently healthy people who may have an increased risk of a particular condition. The NHS offers a range of screening tests to different sections of the population.
The aim is to offer screening to the people who are most likely to benefit from it. For example, some screening tests are only offered to newborn babies, while others such as breast screening and abdominal aortic aneurysm screening are only offered to older people.
Vaccinations
Vaccination is the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and our children against ill health. They prevent millions of deaths worldwide every year.
Since vaccines were introduced in the UK, diseases like smallpox, polio and tetanus that used to kill or disable millions of people are either gone or are now very rarely seen.
Vaccines teach your immune system how to create antibodies that protect you from diseases.
It’s much safer for your immune system to learn this through vaccination than by catching the diseases and treating them.
Once your immune system knows how to fight a disease, it can often give you life long protection.
All vaccines are thoroughly tested to make sure they will not harm you or your child.
Local services
Breast ScreeningBreast screening starts for women between the ages of 50 and 53, you should receive an appointment for this without asking. You will then be invited every 3 years for breast screening until you turn 71. You need to be registered with a GP surgery to be invited for breast screening. Find out more click hereSave Breast Screening to favourites
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screeningAbdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening is a test to check if there's a swelling in your aorta, which is the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the tummy (abdomen). AAA screening is offered to all men over the age of 64. Anyone assigned male at birth who is over the age of 64 can have it. Find out more click hereSave Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening to favourites
Lung Cancer ScreeningNHS Targeted Lung Health Checks is a new national cancer screening service to check if you have lung cancer. It is available to everyone who is registered with a Sunderland or South Tyneside GP, is aged between 55 and 74 years of age and who is a current or ex-smoker. Find out more click hereSave Lung Cancer Screening to favourites
