Bowel screening

About my test

Information on your bowel screening test kit including how to do the test, what to do after the test and how to re-order another test kit.

Your bowel screening kit

You will be sent a bowel screening test kit to your home address.

The bowel screening test kit includes:

A small tube to collect your poo sample.

Full instructions on how to complete the test.

A yellow pre-paid envelope.

The video below looks at bowel screening and how to take a sample.

Before the Test

Read all the information before you start to do the test.

You can get help from the free NHS Scotland bowel screening helpline number:

Call 0800 0121 833 (textphone 18001 0800 0121 833) or

talk to someone you trust like a support worker, family member or friend.

Full instructions on how to carry out the test at home can be found in this leaflet – Bowel Cancer UK Easy read leaflet.

Getting Ready

For the test, you need to take just one small sample of poo.

On the day you are taking a sample of poo, write the date on the test.

The side for the label is marked with a +.

Stick the label on the side of the test marked with the +.

Before taking the test, decide how you are going to collect a sample of poo.

Some things you can use are:

Image of toilet paper and kitchen roll to help collect your sample

Toilet paper, tissue or kitchen roll you have put on your hand.

A small clean plastic bag you have put on your hand.

A paper plate.

A clean empty carton, like a margarine tub or an ice-cream pot.

If you use an empty carton, it must be one that you can throw away afterwards.

Put some toilet paper inside the carton you use before collecting the poo.

This makes it easier to empty it into the toilet when you are finished.

Before you go to the toilet, take the test kit, instructions and what you need to catch your poo into the bathroom.

Doing the test

When you have collected the poo, open the test kit by twisting the top round.

A stick is attached to the top.

Take the sample by scraping the end of the stick on the poo.

Only a small amount of poo is needed

Make sure the two holes at the end of the stick are covered in poo

How to close the test

Close the test straight after taking your sample by putting the stick back into the test and twisting the top round.

Do not reopen the test.

If you have any questions after doing the test or think you have made a mistake you can get help from the free NHS Scotland bowel screening helpline number: Call 0800 0121 833 (textphone 18001 0800 0121 833).

Cleaning up

Tip the poo and any toilet paper carefully into the toilet.

Flush the toilet.

Put the carton or anything else used to catch the poo into a bag and then bin it.

Do not use the carton for anything else.

Wash your hands

What to do before you send the test kit back

When you have taken a sample, send the test back as soon as possible. Make sure you follow these steps.

Step 1: Check that you have closed the test. The top should be twisted round securely.

Step 2: Make sure you have stuck the label from your NHS letter to your test.

Step 3: On the other side of the test, check you have written the date you took the poo sample.

Step 4: Put your test in the envelope. Take off the white strip of paper and stick the envelope down so it is sealed.

Step 5: You do not need to put a stamp on the envelope. Put it in the post box after you have sealed it.

Source: All the above taken directly from Bowel Cancer UK Easy Read leaflet

Bowel kit re-ordering

If it’s been 2 years since your last test or there’s an issue with your bowel test kit, you can order another one.

You can order another bowel kit

Complete this form – click here

You can also ask for a test kit by contacting the Scottish Bowel Screening Centre

By phone: call 08000121 833 (textphone 180010800 0121 833)

By email – TAY.scottishbowelscreening@nhs.scot

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