Govt launches bowel cancer campaign

The government has launched the UK's first ever campaign to raise awareness of bowel cancer.

With many Britons unaware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, the Department of Health is hoping to raise the public's consciousness of the condition.

The Be Clearer on Cancer campaign features real GPs and encourages people with blood in their stool or producing waste of an unhealthy consistency for more than three weeks to go see a doctor.

It is hoped that the scheme will also make it easier for people to go discuss an embarrassing topic with their GP.

Paul Burstow, care services minister, commented: "Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer so we need to get over the embarrassment and talk to someone about it."

The campaign is part of the Improving Outcomes: A strategy for Cancer, which aims to save an additional 5,000 lives per year by 2014/2015.

As part of the report, the government will move forward on piloting bowel screening, improving diagnostic capacity, meeting the needs of survivors in post-treatment phases, giving information about care and increasing information dissemination and communication mechanisms.

Find the nearest Barchester care home.