The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) began in 2006. It aims to reduce the morbidity and mortality from bowel cancer by actively recruiting and screening the eligible target population, aged 50–74, for early detection or prevention of the disease. This monitoring report is the fifth to examine the NBCSP using the current key performance indicators.

In 2020, it is estimated that about 7,227 people aged 50–74 will be diagnosed with bowel cancer (around 47% of all bowel cancers diagnosed) and 1,905 people in this age group will die from the disease (around 36% of all bowel cancer deaths).