The FOBt stands for faecal occult blood test. The test looks for hidden (occult) blood in your stool. Along with the kit you will be sent instructions telling you what to do. It involves smearing a small amount of your stool on to a piece of card. You can get extra help and advice on how to do the test by calling the Scottish bowel screening helpline on 0845 270 0030 between 8am and 8pm from Monday to Friday.

After you have done the test you return it by post to the national Bowel Screening Centre for Scotland at King's Cross Hospital in Dundee. Once they get the test they will send you the result within a week. Most people will have a ‘negative’ result, with no blood being found in their samples.

If the test is positive (hidden blood is found) your GP will refer you to your local hospital for further assessment and you may be offered a colonoscopy. This uses a thin flexible tube with a camera to let doctors see the inside of your bowel.

A positive FOB test result doesn’t necessarily mean that you have cancer, only that you will probably need further tests to check your bowel.

There is more information on the bowel cancer screening programme in Scotland on the Scottish Bowel Cancer Screening website at www.bowelscreening.scot.nhs.uk