THE uptake of bowel screening among people in Gwent rose during 2015/16, mirroring a Wales-wide increase.

But more needs to be done to close the gap here and across the country in terms of screening uptake by people in the least and most deprived areas.

During the year to March 31 2016, 54.3 per cent (27,686) of the nearly 51,000 people eligible for testing in Gwent sent in a completed testing kit for screening.

The Gwent figure was up from 51 per cent during 2014/15, while the all-Wales uptake figure was 54.4 per cent last year, compared to 50.8 per cent in 2014/15.

“This means more people than ever have taken the opportunity to protect themselves by early diagnosis of cancer, when the chances of survival are so much better,” said Dr Rosemary Fox, director of screening at Public Health Wales.

“We aren’t complacent, though. In particular people living in the most deprived parts of Wales are less likely to join in with the programme than those living in the least deprived areas, and men are less likely to participate than women.”

The gap in uptake based on the least and most deprived areas applies to all health board areas in Wales.

In Gwent, 61.5 per cent of people eligible for testing during 2015/16 and living in its least deprived areas took up the testing invitation.

But in Gwent’s most deprived areas, only 45.9 per cent took up the offer.

That gap - 15.6 percentage points - was narrower than for 2014/15 (16.9 percentage points), and Wales-wide the gap also closed from 17 percentage points to 16.7 percentage points.

Uptake of bowel screening among eligible women in Gwent last year was 56 per cent. Among eligible men it was 52.6 per cent. Both of these figures were increases on the previous year.

“We are working hard to reduce these differences, and it is encouraging to see that the inequality gap between the least and most deprived areas, and between men and women has reduced this year,” said Dr Fox.

“Bowel Screening Wales are continuing to focus screening engagement activities, and we are working with local GP clusters to improve uptake in these areas to further reduce this health inequality.”

Bowel cancer is the UK’s third most common cancer, and in Wales it kills around 1,000 people a year.

Evidence shows that bowel screening can reduce the risk of bowel cancer.

A Public Health Wales report on the 2015/16 screening programme reveals that in the year to March 31 2016, 151,800 test kits were given a definitive result. Of these, 1.3 per cent had a positive result.

More than 200 people across Wales were diagnosed with bowel cancer during the year, while polyps - which if left untreated could become malignant - were detected and removed in 1,149 cases.

“More people have taken up the offer of screening this year than previously,” said Dr Fox.

“It is right that people should decide for themselves whether to participate in screening, but I would urge them not to ignore their screening invitation - it could save their life.”

Participants receive a free NHS test kit in the post and can carry out the test at home before returning it for screening in a prepaid envelope that comes as part of the package.

Men and women aged 60-74 are invited to take part every two years.

The proportion of colorectal cancers diagnosed by screening is greater in Wales than in England, at 12 per cent, compared to an overall average for England and Wales of 10 per cent.