BRCA CHEK2 testing

[Thingsthatgo]

My mum has been advised to go for genetic testing because her aunt has tested positive for the CHEK2 fault.
Unfortunately our nearest clinic is London, and she is elderly, anxious and has arthritis, and the journey would be awful for her.
My doctor has said that I, and my siblings, are not eligible for NHS testing because my great aunt is not a close enough relative.
Can my mum get tested any other way? Is private an option? She is in her 80s, and not concerned about herself, but her children and grandchildren.
If she is negative, does that mean all of her children are negative? (Obviously I understand there's a chance it could also be passed on from my dad's side of the family).

I had private testing for a whole range of cancer genes due to strong family history and was recommended by my private oncologist. I think it cost around £100 with £300 consultant fees as you need to discuss the implications before and hear your results from someone qualified to explain them. I just had to send a saliva sample through the post, I chose to see the consultant in person but you can do teams or phone call. I used the Marsden private patients. It was oddly cheaper to do the whole panel than just breast cancer genes. Hope this helps.

What do the tests involve ?

It may be that they only want to see her in person to explain it all to her face to face and get her to sign a consent form if she then decides that she wants to go ahead with the test (not everyone chooses to do so), The test itself might well might be a simple blood test.

If that's it, then is it possible that they could do a telephone consultation and then get either verbal consent or written via the posts, and then she could have blood taken at the local GP surgery and then sent to the clinic for the analysis ?

(that's how I've had my genetic testing done, although it's not looking for BRCA)

Thank you both - these are very useful replies and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.
If we can facilitate a call or a zoom for mum, and have a local saliva/blood test, that would be brilliant.
Otherwise, she we could afford £400 for private testing, so that would definitely be a good plan B.
Thank you!

If she is elderly what's the point of the testing? If she hasn't developed any cancers by now.

@Maddy70 because neither I, nor my siblings, cannot get tested, not can her grandchildren, without her being tested first.
If she is negative we do not need to, if she is positive then the NHS will also test us.

Once a genetic condition is found in one person, the same testing is then made available on the NHS to siblings, children and (going by the OPs post) nephews and nieces, so her being tested and found positive opens the door for testing for her descendants in turn.

I had this test done. It was a blood test. I had telephone appointments prior to it to explain the processes. Blood was taken locally and sent to London - think it went by taxi.

I did genetic testing recently (BRCA) and it was a saliva test via the post so I didn't have to go to a clinic at all. Could you ask if that's an option?