Government pledges additional £10 million to deliver 29 new breast cancer screening units, 58 remote access upgrades and nearly 70 life-saving service upgrades to speed up diagnosis and treatment
Cancer diagnosis will be sped up for tens of thousands of women after the government pledged an additional £10 million to provide 29 new NHS breast cancer screening units and nearly 70 life-saving upgrades to services in areas where they are most needed.
The life-saving investment includes 16 new mobile breast screening units, 13 additional static units, 58 live remote access upgrades for existing units, and 10 software upgrades to carry out ultrasounds and X-rays.
These new units and service upgrades will allow more women to be screened earlier improving outcomes for patients. The screening will be focused at sites where it is most needed, tackling health disparities and improving diagnosis rates in line with the NHS Long-Term Plan.
This investment will also help deliver a more accessible NHS where patients receive care close to home.
Minister of State for Health, Helen Whately, said:
The mobile units will be used flexibly to target areas that will most benefit from increased opportunities for screening and the static units will be placed in areas to improve accessibility, uptake and coverage.
Those areas with existing units will also benefit from upgrades to improve screening by using the latest technology, ensuring the best possible care for patients.
The funding is now in place for NHS trusts to spend within the 2022/23 financial year and the timing for delivery of units will be individual to each trust.
Steve Russell, NHS national director for screening and vaccinations, said:
The commitment to provide additional breast screening units was made in the Women’s Health Strategy published in July 2022 which is designed to improve the equality of healthcare.
The government has also committed to improving diagnosis, treatment, and survival rates as part of the NHS Long-Term Plan. By 2028, the government has committed to 75% of people with cancer being diagnosed at stages 1 and 2, up from 55%, and for 55,000 more people each year to survive their cancer for at least five years after diagnosis.
Continued investment in mobile breast screening units is one of the best ways to increase capacity – screening saves around 1,300 women every year with around 21,000 cancers detected. This is why each year more than two million women have breast cancer screening in the UK.
Ciarán Norris, Head of Campaigns & Public Affairs at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:
This government will continue to work with the NHS across cancer alliances, primary care networks and regional teams to increase the uptake of breast screening.
Alongside this, Breast Screening Offices (BSO) are running extra screening sessions to clear any remaining mammogram backlog, although a large number of services have recovered.
The ‘NHS National Demand and Capacity Tool’ and NHS national round length planning tool have been developed and implemented to deliver better support and intervention so the best possible care can be given to patients.
We encourage people to check themselves and look out for any changes and if they are concerned, speak to their GP.
NOTES TO EDITORS