This tool models how socio-demographic factors may impact screening coverage in England, and how our models' predictions are compared to the actual screening coverage of each GP practice area.
This user guide can support your navigation and interpretation of the tool.
It covers what each view shows and how you might use it locally.
We will also link through to other resources that may support you to identify evidence-based improvements and interventions for your local population.
Socio-demographic factors can affect screening coverage.
We produced this tool to look at the impact of these factors on screening coverage at a local level within systems.
We have been able to do this because data on screening coverage is reported according to the GP practice at which people invited for screening are registered. This is generally considered to be a proxy for other information, such as where people live or the level of deprivation in their area, but this does not imply that screening coverage is the sole responsibility of the GP practice.
This tool models how socio-demographic factors may impact screening coverage to produce an estimated local level which is then compared to the actual screening coverage of each GP practice area.
This could help identify populations where screening coverage is higher, lower or similar to the level that their socio-demographics would predict, and therefore help systems identify the right strategies to increase screening coverage in those areas.
This tool can also provide an idea of where systems may want to target resources when used in conjunction with local knowledge.
This tool looks at coverage for bowel screening, rather than uptake. Coverage is the proportion of the eligible population that is screened and has a result documented. By looking at coverage, the data will be less affected by short-term changes to the data and should allow a more accurate estimated level of screening, rather than using uptake which looks at those screened within 6-months of an invitation.
Further information on the modelling used is available within the tool.
Explore the bowel screening toolView the bowel screening tool guideProduced by the Health Policy & Evidence Department, Cancer Research UK, March 2025.
If you have any comments, questions or feedback, please reach out to our team.
