Lung cancers detected in South East supermarket car parks

The scans were carried out in supermarket car parks and community sites as part of an NHS screening programme that aims to improve early detection by bringing services closer to where people live.

Since the programme launched, 1,385 cases of lung cancer have been found in the region.

Dr Daghni Rajasingam, deputy medical director for NHS England South East, said: “Lung cancer checks save lives, so it’s fantastic that the NHS has now diagnosed over 10,000 people in England through this programme, including more than 1,000 in the South East.

“By bringing scanners into communities – including in locations such as supermarket car parks – we are making it easier for people to come forward and get checked.”

Under the programme, lung health checks are offered to current and former smokers aged 55 to 74, with those identified as higher risk being offered a low-dose CT scan.

Mobile scanning units are located in easily accessible sites such as supermarket car parks.

The programme has been running since 2019 in areas with high rates of lung cancer and has since expanded further.

Ginnie Walker, a former smoker from Crawley, was diagnosed early through the scheme and successfully treated in March 2024.

Ms Walker said: “The team at the lung health check in the supermarket car park were lovely and non-judgmental about the fact I was a smoker.

“And it was all done so quickly.”