One third of women in Greater Manchester miss breast screening appointment

Women encouraged to attended their routine breast screening appointment

Just two thirds (67%) of women in Greater Manchester attended their routine breast screening appointment last year.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme is vital in ensuring breast cancer is detected at early, more treatable stages, preventing around 1,300 deaths from breast cancer each year in the UK.

Women aged from 50 to their 71st birthday, and registered with a GP are automatically invited for breast cancer screening every 3 years.

While screening comes with some risks to be aware of, all women are encouraged to attend their screening appointments when invited, and to discuss any concerns they may have with their doctor.

More than 2,000 women in Greater Manchester are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and over 400 sadly die from the disease each year.

Mia Rosenblatt, Assistant Director of Policy and Campaigns at Breast Cancer Now said: "If we are to ensure that by 2050, everyone who develops breast cancer will live and live well, we need to do everything we can to detect more cases earlier.

“With breast cancer incidence continuing to rise, it’s concerning to see that, despite a slight increase in uptake over the last year, Greater Manchester remains below the 70% target for the eighth year in a row, as attendance in England drops to a new decade-low.

“It’s essential that NHS England’s landmark review of screening programmes provides clear recommendations to significantly improve attendance across the country.

“We look to the Government to ensure these recommendations will be put in place and be supported with adequate resource, to enable local NHS services to cope with increasing demand over the next decade.”