Your invitation

Who is screened?

Men aged 65 are invited to be screened if they are registered as living in Wales.

Men over 65 who have not previously been screened by the NHS or diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm can ask for a scan by contacting their local screening office.

Men are six times more likely to have an AAA than women and AAA becomes increasingly common with age.

A ruptured AAA is less common in women and on average happens 10 years later than in men.

The UK National Screening Committee advises the NHS and Government about national screening programmes. They do not recommend offering AAA screening to women.

Anyone known to have a close family history of AAA and who is not invited for screening (for example, men who are not yet aged 65 or women of any age) can talk to their doctor.

People who are transgender or non-binary may need to have AAA screening. To find out more, visit our information for people who are transgender and non-binary pages.

How will I be invited?

Men aged 65 will be sent:

An appointment letter with the date and time.
A map of the clinic location.
An information leaflet which will explain more about AAA screening and the ultrasound test.

It is important you read and understand the information before you come to your appointment.

At your appointment, you will need to give permission for us to screen you.

You will receive your invitation about three weeks before your appointment.

Are not registered with a doctor.
Think you have been invited incorrectly.
Have been invited to screening but are being treated or monitored for an AAA.
Are not registered as male with your doctor but you identify as male.
Have any questions about taking part in screening.

What if I need help understanding the information?

If you, or a person you support needs help to understand or read the information we sent, contact us. We can provide you with information in different formats.

For more information you may want to visit our Easy Read, BSL, Audio and Video pages.

Going for my appointment

If you, or a person you support needs extra help going for screening, contact us before your appointment if you:

Need an interpreter because Welsh or English is not your first language.
Have a disability.
Use an assistance dog.
Need someone to come with you.
You are caring for someone who cannot make decisions.
You have Power of Attorney for health and welfare for the person invited, you will need to bring ID and the Power of Attorney document to their appointment.

Travelling to my appointment

If you think you are eligible for help travelling to your appointment, you can contact Patient Transport Services at your local hospital. They may be able to help you.

Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme

As the cost of living is affecting many of us, it is important to know what help is available from the NHS.

While financial support for attending routine screening appointments is not provided under the Department of Health rules, some people who need to come back for further tests may be eligible for financial support.

The NHS ‘Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme’ (HTCS) sets out clear guidance to people about when financial help can be provided. The scheme has a strict eligibility criteria. For those who are eligible, the scheme supports the cost of travelling to hospital or other NHS premises for NHS funded treatment or diagnostic tests.

To check if you are eligible for financial support, visit the NHS ‘Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme’ (HTCS) web pages for more information or contact us, if you have any further questions.

Visit our cost of living web pages for more information www.phw.nhs.wales/cost-of-living