RecruitingInterventional

Increasing the uptake of cervical and lung cancer screening with targeting

This study wants to find better ways to encourage people in the UK to get important cervical and lung cancer screenings. These screenings are vital for catching cancer early, which makes treatment more successful. Many people miss out, especially those in certain groups. The study is trying out new, targeted invitation messages from a company called Appt Health. Some people will get standard NHS invites, others will get digital invites from Appt Health, and a special group will get personalised messages designed with their needs in mind. The goal is to see if these new approaches can help more people get screened and reduce differences in who gets screened. It's safe and simply compares different ways of communicating about existing NHS services.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Imperial College London

Enrolment target

463,000

Start

01 Jun 2026

Estimated completion

01 Feb 2028

Uptake of cervical and lung cancer screening

What is this study about?

This study is all about helping more people in the UK get important cancer screenings for cervical cancer and lung cancer. These screenings are super important because they can find early signs of cancer, often before someone even feels ill. Finding cancer early usually means treatment can start sooner and is more likely to work, potentially saving lives.

Even though these screenings are so helpful, many people either don't know to go, or find it difficult to attend. This is especially true for certain groups of people, which means some communities are missing out more than others. The NHS already sends out reminders, but the study team thinks we could do better by sending more specific and helpful messages.

So, this study is testing different approaches to invite people for screening. They're working with a company called Appt Health to try out new ways of sending invitations. The main idea is to see if more personalised and easy-to-understand messages can encourage more people to attend their screening appointments, making sure everyone has a fair chance to protect their health.

Key takeaways

The study helps more people get life-saving cancer screenings early.
It's about trying out better ways to invite people for cervical and lung cancer checks.
You won't have extra appointments; it's just about how you get your invitations.
The study focuses on reaching people who usually miss out on screening.
It's a very safe study, simply looking at communication methods.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for people who are already registered with one of the GP practices taking part.

For cervical screening, you would need to be a woman or person with a cervix aged between 25 and 64, who has been invited for screening but hasn't yet attended. Special attention will be given to those with learning disabilities, those aged 25-34 or 45-64 living in poorer areas, or those whose main language isn't English.

For lung screening, you need to be aged 55-74 and currently or previously smoked. The study will particularly focus on current or past smokers who live in more deprived areas. If you don't meet the standard NHS age and health criteria for these screenings, or your GP practice isn't involved, you won't be able to take part.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you registered at a GP practice that is taking part in the study?
For cervical screening: Are you a woman or person with a cervix aged 25-64 who has been invited but not yet attended?
For lung screening: Are you aged 55-74 and currently or used to smoke?
Do you live in the UK?
Do you want to help improve how people receive cancer screening invitations?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you take part in this study, you won't have any extra appointments, tests, or changes to your medication. The study is simply looking at how you receive invitations for your regular cervical or lung cancer screening appointments, which are already part of the NHS. You'll be placed into one of three groups based on your GP practice:

* **Group 1 (Usual Care):** You will continue to receive screening invitations in the normal way, just as the NHS or your GP practice usually sends them. * **Group 2 (Appt Standard):** You will receive standard invitations from Appt Health. These might come as messages on the NHS App, emails, texts (SMS), or letters. These invitations will make it easy to book an appointment, sometimes with a direct link or a way to reply by text. * **Group 3 (Appt Targeted):** If you are in certain groups that find it harder to attend screening (for example, based on where you live or your preferred language), you will receive special invitations from Appt Health. These messages will be personalised to address common reasons why people in your group might miss screening, while still offering easy ways to book an appointment.

The study starts in April 2026 and will run until February 2028, but your involvement simply means receiving invitations in one of these ways as you become due for screening.

Potential risks and benefits

The main benefit of being part of this study is that you might receive clearer or more useful messages about your cancer screening. This could help you attend your appointment on time, which is really important for catching any serious health issues early. The study itself has very low risk because it's only looking at different ways of sending out invitations for screenings you'd be offered anyway. It's not testing new treatments or procedures, just communication methods. You are always free to decide not to attend any screening invitation you receive, and you can withdraw from the study at any time without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Appt Health
City only
Bolton, England

Common questions

What is the main goal of this study?

The study aims to find the best ways to encourage more people to attend their cervical and lung cancer screenings to help save lives by catching cancer early.

Will I have to do anything extra if I'm in this study?

No, you won't have any extra appointments or procedures. You'll simply receive invitations for your routine NHS screenings in a slightly different way, depending on which group your GP practice is in.

Is it safe to be part of this study?

Yes, it is very safe. The study is only comparing different ways of sending screening invitations, not testing new medical treatments or procedures. You’re still receiving the regular NHS screening service.

Who is running this study?

The study is being run by Imperial College London and funded by SBRI Healthcare.

What if I don't want to receive these new types of invitations?

You can withdraw from the study at any time. This will not affect your medical care in any way, and you will continue to receive your usual NHS screening invitations.

How to find out more

Gaby Judah

g.judah@imperial.ac.uk +44 2075941419 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.