Media release from Minister of health Tony Ryall

Health Minister Tony Ryall is welcoming the launch of the Beat Bowel Cancer New Zealand charity, saying it will help bowel cancer patients, and help raise the profile of the disease.

"In last month's Budget, the Government announced a bowel cancer screening pilot programme. Proposals from organisations that would like to run the pilot are set to be called for in the next few weeks. It should be up and running later next year."

"After years of lobbying by health professionals and patients which was met by talk but no action, this Government has committed to see bowel cancer screening being delivered, through the pilot, in its first term."

"It is considered international best practice for screening programmes to be piloted before they are rolled out nationally, to guide future decisions."

"One of the major issues that everyone has recognised is the workforce capacity. Primary care in the Southern DHB region recently raised concerns about access to colonoscopies, which were well below the national averages."

"Since the Otago audit, the DHB has increased the number of colonoscopies by more than 50%."

"Today's launch of the trust will help raise awareness of, and offer patients support for, the most frequently diagnosed cancer in New Zealand, and that is a good thing."