The Get Checked Campaign is run by the Health Improvement Team from NHS Halton and St Helens, and tackles one of the biggest problems with new cases of cancer - not getting seen by a doctor quickly enough. Using a social marketing approach, it focuses on three different types of cancer - breast, bowel and lung - and has been educating local people about the signs and symptoms to look out for.

Over a twelve month period local results have included:

• Referrals for bowel cancer symptoms up by 90%
• Referrals for breast cancer symptoms up by 31%
• Referrals for lung cancer symptoms up by 18%

The figures have also highlighted the fact that in many cases cancers are being detected earlier - in the case of new breast cancer diagnoses, 38% of new cases were detected before they spread.

The campaign's work has been driven by the support of 30 local volunteers who have been helping to spread the message. Get Checked has now been put forward to the highly prestigious national finals of the Health and Social Care Awards, which will take place in London on 8th July - watch this space for details!