NHS England has selected Mansfield and Ashfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to be one of the first areas to receive targeted lung health checks for conditions including pneumoconiosis and lung cancer.

It follows a campaign by Mansfield MP Ben Bradley and his Sherwood counterpart, Mark Spencer.

Last year Ben held a debate in Parliament looking at lung health in former mining communities, which led to the Government setting up discussions on lung screening.

They also attended a meeting that brought together doctors and other health care professionals to push for better lung care for former miners.

The new screening programme is one of the first projects to be rolled out following the launch of the Government’s NHS Long Term Plan.

Anyone aged 55 to 74 will be offered a free lung health check at a convenient place close to where they live, such as at a supermarket or football ground.

The checks will help to spot lung cancer and other health problems much earlier than before.

In Mansfield and Ashfield CCG, an estimated 46,245 people aged 55 to 74 will be eligible for a targeted lung health check.

Ben said: “It’s brilliant news that this long campaign to improve lung health screening has been a success.

“I have lobbied for improvements to the screening programme since being elected and I am delighted that the Government has listened to my campaign.

“It is good news that the extra funding that we are investing in the NHS is going towards early diagnosis and prevention. This will have a huge impact locally.

“The NHS will highlight those aged 55-74 who are most at risk and they will contact people to invite them for a screening.”