In collaboration with Dudley Council, and Public Health England, the Dudley, Wolverhampton & South West Staffordshire Breast Screening Service, based at Russells Hall Hospital, has positioned a mobile breast screening unit just off Dudley high street – to encourage and aid more women to attend potentially life-saving appointments.
Women aged between 50 and 71, that are registered with a GP within the local area, are invited to attend a screening every three years, however historically within the Dudley and Netherton area, breast cancer screening attendance rates have been low. This is due to a variety of factors including high deprivation levels in the area and geographical barriers with location and access to the service.
The position of the unit, placed on a bus route and in a council run car park, where individuals attending screening can park for free, is hoped to encourage more women to take up this important health screen.
The appointment takes no longer than 20 minutes and the unit is staffed by female clinicians who will take four x-rays of the breasts. A leaflet is provided at the end of the procedure with further information and details on when results will be ready.
Jayne Burness, health inequalities lead for the programme, said: “It is crucial that women across the country attend their screening appointment when they’re sent, but historically the uptake in the areas of Dudley and Netherton have been below the national average.
“We’ve already received positive feedback about the new unit, situated on Stafford Street car park in Dudley, both during our consultation stages with the public and from our first few patients. We’re seeing more women attend, favouring the quicker travel time, convenience, and location, rather than travelling to a hospital.”
Joanne Essex, programme manager at the Dudley, Wolverhampton & South West Staffordshire Breast Screening Service, added: “This work is extremely important in engaging with women who otherwise might not attend this important health screening.
“We have another initiative in place with the West Midlands Cancer Alliance, to target this and other cohorts of women who are being invited for the first time, regularly do not attend their screenings or have never attended one, even after years of invitations.
“It is important that we understand the reasons why women choose not to attend, so engaging with the public through marketing and events is always top of our agenda.”
Diane Wake, group chief executive at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The launch of our mobile breast screening unit in Dudley represents a vital step forward in making life-saving healthcare more accessible to the community. This unit will help break down barriers to early detection and reaffirms our commitment to equity in care.”
Councillor James Clinton, cabinet member for public health, said: “One in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast screening aims to detect breast cancer at an early stage where it is often easier to treat, saving lives.
“The NHS offers free breast screening every three years to women aged 50 to 71. We urge all women who receive an invitation for breast screening to attend their appointment. Taking this simple step can make a significant difference in their health and future.”
Women are encouraged to look out for their invitation which are now being sent digitally, a first nationally across breast screening programmes, or through the post and attend their screening appointments.
