David ClarkThe introduction of the national bowel screening programme will take a year longer than previously planned, Health Minister David Clark says. In response to questions on bowel screening, Dr Clark announced a revised timetable for the programme, which will see the last, as yet unnamed, five DHBs enter it by the end of June 2021. Two further District Health Boards, "proposed to be Whanganui and Mid-Central", will start screening by June 30, 2019. Dr Clark said bowel screening would be rolled out for five more DHBs in 2019-20 with the final five joining the programme the following year. (Hutt Valley and Wairarapa District Health Boards began bowel screening in July 2017 and Waitemata DHB’s pilot scheme will transition to the national programme in January 2018.)

Source: Otago Daily Times December 25, 2017 16:07 UTC