21 Mar 2018

Bowel screening review head appointed

1:17 pm on 21 March 2018

Victoria University's health faculty dean, Gregor Coster, will lead a review of bowel screening.

Samples of a colon biopsy to be sent to a laboratory, at Diaconesses Croix Saint-Simon Hospital, Paris, France (2009).

Photo: A. BENOIST / BSIP

Health Minister David Clark announced last month he was ordering an independent review of the national bowel screening programme.

It followed the revelation that 2500 eligible Waitematā residents had failed to receive invitations to be screened under a pilot programme because of an error involving addresses.

Screening is being rolled out nationwide in a staged approach until mid-2021.

Dr Clark said he was seeking an assurance about how well positioned the National Bowel Screening Programme was to successfully deliver screening.

He said Professor Coster had vast experience in public health.

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