Your health and wellbeing

Your health

For medical support and advice in Camden, visit your local pharmacy. They can help with a range of minor illnesses and tell you if you need to visit your GP.

If you need medical help right now:

visit NHS 111 for advice on what to do, or call 111 for free
in an emergency, always call 999

If you’re feeling down, anxious or worried, find mental health support.

Staying active

Our We Can Move website celebrates the many ways you can stay active in Camden.

Search for ways to keep active, whatever your age and ability.

NHS Lung Cancer screening programme

Lung cancer screening looks at how well your lungs are working and can help diagnose lung cancer early, before you have symptoms. A lung health check involves a phone questionnaire and if needed, you may be offered a CT scan.

If you're aged between 55 to 74, registered with a GP in Camden and your GP records show that you smoke or used to smoke, you may be offered and NHS lung health check (lung cancer screening) every 2 years. You will receive a letter or phone call from your GP or a local NHS service inviting you to an appointment.

If you think you should have a lung cancer screening but do not get a letter, call the Lung Cancer Screening service on 0800 652 9589.

If you're unsure if your GP knows that you smoke or used to smoke, ask your GP surgery to update your record. This will make sure you receive an invitation for lung cancer screening in the future

For more information, visit NHS Lung Cancer screening programme.

Bowel cancer screening

Bowel cancer screening is a way of detecting bowel cancer at an early stage or sometimes preventing cancer from developing in the first place. Always see a GP if you have symptoms of bowel cancer at any age.

Download the Easy Guide to bowel cancer screening

There are two types of test used in the NHS bowel cancer screening:

bowel scope screening: carried out in a hospital, a thin tube with a camera at the end looks inside your bowel. If you are 55 you will be automatically invited to a one-off bowel scope screening test (if available in your area)
home testing kit: carried out in the privacy of your own home using a testing kit received through the post. Traces of blood in the stools can be a sign of bowel cancer, but screening can help pick up the disease at an early stage when it’s easier to treat. If you are ages 50 to 74 you’ll automatically be invited to do a home testing kit every 2 years

People over the age of 70 years can also request a testing kit every 2 years by calling the free bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 6060.

More information about bowel cancer screening can be found on the NHS website.

Breast cancer screening

Breast cancer screening uses a test called a mammogram, which takes x-rays of the breasts. Screening can help detect breast cancers early when they are too small to see or feel.

Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer at the earliest possible stage have a 9 out of 10 chance of surviving for at least five years after diagnosis.

The NHS provides free breast screening every three years for all women aged 50 to 70 years. If you are over the age of 70 and live in Camden you can request a breast screen by contacting the Central and East London Breast screening service and calling 020 3758 2024.

If you have received a text message, phone call or letter advising that their breast screening appointment is cancelled please be advised that you will receive another invitation in due course once breast screening resumes.

Anyone of any age with concerns about their breasts should contact their GP immediately.

More information about breast screening is available from the National Breast Cancer screening website.

Cervical screening

Cervical screening is not a test for cancer; it is a test to detect abnormalities that may, if left untreated, develop into cancers. A cervical screen (also called a smear test) involves a sample of cells being taken from the cervix.

Cervical screening is available to all women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 in England. All eligible people registered as a female with a GP automatically receive a postal invitation for a screening.

If you have a cervix, but are not registered with your GP as female, then you may not be included in cervical screening IT systems e.g. if you are a trans male (assigned female at birth), if you are registered as male, or if you identify as ‘non-binary’. In these circumstances, the GP practice or a healthcare team managing gender reassignment should send screening invitations.

The first invitation is sent to eligible people at the age of 24 and a half years. People ages 25 to 49 receive invitations every 3 years. People aged 50 to 64 receive invitations every 5 years.

Women aged between 25 to 64 years, who are registered with a GP in Camden will be invited to attend screening at their GP practice.

For more information, visit the National Cervical Cancer screening website.