Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)
Comprehensive use of FIT in NG12 patients is critical to improving bowel cancer survival in England, ensuring patients on the lower GI pathway can be diagnosed promptly and using our available colonoscopy capacity in the most effective way. In July 2022, the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) and Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI) published guidance recommending the use of Faecal Immunochemical Testing (FIT) to triage patients presenting in primary and secondary care with signs or symptoms of suspected colorectal cancer.
Correctly completing a FIT
Labs are rejecting FITs due to incorrect labeling of kits, the wrong specimen container being used or incorrect/improper closure of the container.
TCST has created a poster for GP practice staff to support them in explaining to patients the correct way to complete and return a FIT. The poster has been designed with input and support from professionals within the London cancer community including the Cancer Alliances and Cancer Research UK.
The purpose of the poster is to act as step-by-step guide for staff when speaking to patients required to complete a FIT. We hope that this poster will enable staff to give clear directions to patients so that samples are correctly collected and labels filled in and returned quickly to the surgery, which will in turn reduce the number of FITs being rejected.
It is also important to note from an inclusion health perspective, people do not require an address to register with a GP. If a patient is homeless or sleeping rough, they can use the GP surgery address. Further information about this can be found here.
Download PDF version of the FIT Admin Pathway 2023 poster