The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program offers a free bowel cancer screening test to eligible Australians aged 45 to 74, done at home every two years. If you are 50 to 74, the kit arrives in the mail. If you are 45 to 49, you need to request your first kit, and after that they are sent automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The test takes a few minutes, yet in NSW only about two in five eligible people complete it, according to a June 2025 NSW Government release<\/a>. Here is how it works, and what happens if your result comes back positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You are eligible if you are aged 45 to 74, have a Medicare card and do not have symptoms of bowel cancer. People aged 50 to 74 are sent a kit every two years to the address Medicare holds for them, so keep that address up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are 45 to 49, request your first kit through the National Cancer Screening Register online or by calling 1800 627 701. Once you have done one test, later kits arrive by themselves every two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The test looks for tiny traces of blood in your poo that you cannot see. It is called an immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT or FIT). Bleeding can come from bowel cancer or from polyps, small growths that can turn into cancer over time. Finding blood early gives your doctor the chance to find out why before symptoms appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The kit comes with instructions and a reply-paid envelope. The steps, as set out by the Cancer Institute NSW<\/a>, are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check the use-by date on the kit before you start. If it has expired, order a replacement through the National Cancer Screening Register rather than using it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The participant details form asks for your doctor’s details. Naming your regular GP means your result goes to the practice as well as to you, so if follow-up is needed, your GP already has the information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Results usually arrive within about two weeks and are also sent to the doctor you nominated. A negative result means no blood was found. You will be sent another kit in two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A positive result means blood was found in a sample. It does not mean you have cancer. healthdirect<\/a> explains that bleeding can have many causes, including polyps and haemorrhoids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What matters is following it up. Book an appointment with your GP, who will talk through the result, your health history and any symptoms, and usually refer you for a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera to look inside the large bowel. Polyps found during the procedure can often be removed at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do not repeat the home test instead of having a colonoscopy after a positive result. The aim is to find the cause of the bleeding, and only a closer look can do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Screening is for people without symptoms. See your GP rather than waiting for a kit if you notice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A strong family history of bowel cancer may also mean you need earlier or different testing, such as a colonoscopy. Your GP can assess your risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bowel screening fits naturally into a regular check-up. GPs often raise it alongside blood pressure, cholesterol and other screening during men’s health checks<\/a> and women’s health checks<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes. Eligible people aged 45 to 74 can ask their doctor about a free kit through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. This can suit people who have lost their mailed kit, let it expire, or would rather talk the test through first. Your GP can also check whether screening is right for you or whether you need a different test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program kit is free for eligible people aged 45 to 74, including the reply-paid postage and the laboratory testing. If your result is positive, follow-up costs depend on whether you are treated as a public or private patient, so ask your GP about your options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People under 45 are not eligible for a free program kit. If you have symptoms such as bleeding or a change in bowel habits, see your GP rather than relying on a home test. If you have a family history of bowel cancer, your GP can advise whether you need earlier testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The free program covers people aged 45 to 74. If you are 75 or older, talk to your GP about whether further screening suits your health and history, and see your GP straight away if you notice symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your kit has arrived, do the test. If your result is positive, or you have symptoms or a family history, book in with your GP. At King Street Medical, our Warrawong medical centre<\/a>, you can book online or by phone<\/a> and talk it through with a GP who knows your history. This article is general information only and does not replace advice from your own doctor.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Eligible Australians aged 45 to 74 can do a free bowel cancer screening test at home every two years. Here is how to get a kit, how to do the test, and what happens if the result is positive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"","tve_custom_css":"","tve_user_custom_css":"","tve_globals":{},"tcb2_ready":0,"tcb_editor_enabled":0,"tve_landing_page":"","_tve_header":"","_tve_footer":""},"categories":[125],"tags":[199,201,202,203,200],"class_list":["post-4866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medical","tag-bowel-cancer-screening","tag-bowel-screening-kit","tag-cancer-screening","tag-colonoscopy","tag-national-bowel-cancer-screening-program","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWho is eligible for the free test?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What does the bowel cancer screening test look for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to do the test at home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Nominate your GP on the form<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What happens after you post the kit?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What if my result is positive?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When the home test is not the right test<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Can I get a bowel screening kit from my GP?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Is bowel cancer screening free?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
I am under 45. Can I do the test?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why does screening stop at 74?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Talk to a GP in Warrawong<\/h2>\n\n\n\n