Endoscopy
You may have been referred to the endoscopy service by your healthcare professional because of one of the following reasons.
- Your GP has referred you to investigate symptoms.
- You have had a positive Bowel Screening Wales stool test.
- We need to monitor a long‑term condition, such as: Barrett’s oesophagus, inflammatory bowel disease (including Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis).
An endoscopy is a test to look inside your body. We use a long, thin tube with a small camera on the end, called an endoscope.
It is passed gently into your body through a natural opening, such as your mouth.
All endoscopy tests are requested by a healthcare professional. You cannot self-refer to the endoscopy service. The tests help us check whether your bowel and stomach look healthy. They can help diagnose conditions such as:
- inflammation
- stomach ulcers
- polyps
- Crohn’s disease
- cancer
It is important to note that nine out of ten people who have a gastroscopy or colonoscopy do not have cancer.
If you are not sure why you have been asked to have an endoscopy:
- speak to the healthcare professional who requested the test, or
- contact your local endoscopy unit and they will help you.