We acknowledge the significant work of many clinicians, experts and advocates who provided evidence and advice as we establish the National Lung Cancer Screening Program.
Development timeline
In 2019, following a request from the Australian Government, Cancer Australia held an enquiry into lung cancer screening and published its findings in October 2020.
Following the enquiry, we worked with Cancer Australia to further explore the feasibility of a lung cancer screening program in Australia.
In October 2022, the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) supported Cancer Australia’s application to establish a national lung cancer screening program. The proposed program would:
- support early diagnosis
- increase survivors
- create better lung cancer outcomes.
On 2 May 2023, the Minister for Health and Aged Care announced the creation of the program. Cancer Australia also published the feasibility assessment in May 2023.
MSAC’s public summary documents explain the outcomes of the decision-making process. The government considered MSAC’s recommendations in line with the Australian Cancer Plan and the National Tobacco Strategy.
The program will be available to eligible people from July 2025.
Co-design process
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are one of the priority populations of the program. We are partnering with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) to co-design it. This will help us achieve equity in cancer outcomes for people disproportionately impacted by lung cancer.
Learn more about the co-design process.
Design and implementation
We are also partnering with NACCHO and Cancer Australia to implement the program. This includes work to support ongoing research and develop:
- program guidelines
- workforce education resources
- participant information
- data linkages.
The program implementation will also consider the barriers, enablers, and appropriate referral pathways for other priority populations disproportionately impacted by lung cancer. These include, but are not limited to:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- people living in rural and remote areas
- people with disability
- people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- people in the LGBTIQA+ community
- people with mental illness.
Key pieces of work in the design and implementation phase of the program include:
- Partnership – co-design the program with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, NACCHO, and ACCHOs, and address barriers and enablers for other priority populations
- Access – consider mobile screening and participant travel support to ensure people in rural and remote areas can access the program
- Clinical – develop program guidelines and protocols, quality framework and performance indicators, structured reports, workforce education materials and participant information
- Legislation – amend the National Cancer Screening Register Act 2016 to include lung cancer in the National Cancer Screening Register and the National Cancer Screening Register Rules 2017
- National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) – configure the NCSR to include lung cancer screening, as it helps participants and healthcare providers manage the journey through the program including receiving updates and reminders
- Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) – create 2 new MBS item numbers (with mandatory bulk billing and reporting to the NCSR)
- one for the screening low-dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) scan
- one for interval low-dose CT scans
- Communications – develop a national communication campaign to promote and encourage participation in the program.
Healthcare providers will play an important role in the program, including:
- general practitioners and specialists
- practice nurses, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and enrolled nurses
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and health practitioners
- practice managers and administrative staff
- health support workers in
- health promotion
- disability support
- mental health support
- bicultural workers
- allied health professionals
- public and private radiology service providers and radiologists
- respiratory physicians
- oncologists.
The requesting healthcare provider (like a general practitioner, a specialist or other qualified healthcare provider) will refer an eligible individual to a radiology (medical imaging) provider to have a low-dose CT scan every 2 years.
See our resources that provide healthcare providers, the general public and patients with information and materials supporting the program.
Eligibility considerations
When considering a lung cancer screening program, MSAC looked at:
- the impact of lung cancer screening in Australia
- the safety and effectiveness of different lung screening options
- who would benefit the most from screening (using age and risk assessment tools).
MSAC considered Cancer Australia’s lung cancer screening enquiry report and feasibility study to support its findings.
MSAC’s evaluation found targeting people known to be at highest risk of lung cancer will ensure the program is safe and effective.
Following its review, MSAC recommended the Australian Government create a national lung cancer screening program. MSAC also provided eligibility criteria for the program.
You can read MSAC’s findings in the July 2022 public summary document.
Ensuring equitable access
We are working with our implementation partners on the best way to deliver equitable access to lung cancer screening. This is particularly for those who are disproportionately impacted by lung cancer. Our partners include:
- NACCHO
- Cancer Australia
- peak bodies
- state and territory government health departments.
Lung Foundation Australia will give recommendations on how to remove barriers and improve access to screening for non-Indigenous priority populations.
We will tailor communications campaigns and educational materials to:
- increase awareness of the program
- encourage participation to support priority populations.
Access for rural and remote communities – mobile screening
It can be hard to access health services, like CT scans, in rural and remote areas. To ensure that all eligible Australians can access the program, there will be specific services to support rural and remote communities. These include:
- mobile screening trucks for people located in some rural and remote locations
- travel support services to access fixed and mobile screening locations.
We have commissioned Heart of Australia to provide mobile lung cancer screening services to some rural and remote communities across Australia. We will co-design service delivery routes to ensure areas with the greatest need can access the program. We will co-design the routes with:
- NACCHO
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs)
- the NLCSP Advisory Group
- states and territories, consulting with local health services.
Heart of Australia will work with communities before mobile screening days. This will ensure that as many eligible people as possible can get screened while the service is there. We commissioned Heart of Australia because it:
- has more than 10 years of experience providing culturally safe medical services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and in rural and remote locations
- is committed to co-designing services that meet not just the health needs, but also consider the cultural and holistic needs of a community.
Quality and monitoring
We will establish a quality framework to outline the approach for measuring, monitoring and evaluating the program. The framework will ensure the program is high-quality, delivered safely and administered effectively. It will provide:
- the principles and requirements that define the program’s quality objectives and standards
- a suite of performance indicators and quality and safety measures benchmarks.
The AIHW will provide monitoring and reporting services for the program once it starts. They will publish all monitoring reports and the program data dictionary to their website.
We will also develop and implement a Quality Improvement Program (QIP) plan to drive continuous quality improvement throughout the life of the program.
Evaluation
MSAC recommended reviewing the program within the first 2 years of implementation to assess the effectiveness of the program and its delivery model. The evaluation will:
- summarise lessons learned throughout the process
- inform future goals to inform improvements to the program
- consider new clinical evidence and technologies in its review.
Research
We are working with Cancer Australia on a research project to adapt and include new evidence and technologies into the program over time. Areas of research may include, but are not limited to:
- research to apply new research to current practices in the program
- research that focuses on novel technologies as they become available
- new clinical guidance as our understanding of the program in practice evolves.
Consultation
We will continue to consult with key stakeholders including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector and peoples
- priority populations and consumer peak bodies
- clinical colleges and peak bodies
- Primary Health Networks
- community and consumer representatives
- researchers
- Australian Government and state and territory government health departments.
We will advertise public consultations on this website. You can contact us with questions.
Involvement of and support for healthcare providers
The program provides the opportunity to improve lung cancer services in Australia. The involvement and support of healthcare providers is vital to the success of the program. We will continue to work with stakeholders supporting the workforce required to deliver the program, including:
- state and territory governments
- professional colleges
- peak bodies.
Healthcare provider modelling was completed as part of the Cancer Australia feasibility study in 2022, and program participation modelling was done in late 2024. This modelling showed the number of participants expected to progress through the pathway and helped jurisdictional planning.
Supporting the health workforce
The Australian Government is delivering critical funding to strengthen the health workforce. This funding will also make it easier for Australians to get the care they need, including lung cancer services.
The Scope of Practice Review is considering some aspects that are relevant to the program. This includes of workforces who likely have the appropriate training and knowledge to support the program’s referral pathway. For example, this may include reviewing whether other healthcare providers’ scope could be expanded to include low-dose CT scan referrals.
We engaged the Daffodil Centre to develop a suite of information materials to support community members and the healthcare workforce.
Promoting participation
Along with workforce and patient education and information materials, a national communications campaign will tell Australians about:
- the program
- how to access it
- other relevant support resources.
We will work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other priority populations on tailored communications and community-led activities to support participation in the program.
In the lead up to July 2025, we will provide communication materials to healthcare providers to promote awareness and support readiness for the program launch. This includes information materials for healthcare providers to support lung cancer screening discussions with community members.
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