Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle the falling rates of breast cancer screening across England, in patients aged between 50 and 70 years old.

The commissioning and provision of screening, outlined in the national service specification for breast screening, requires providers to work with local authorities and other stakeholders to develop plans to address uptake and inequalities. Breast screening services promote uptake by engaging with practices ahead of screening in their area, providing practices with up-to-date information about the programme and notifying them of the final outcomes of screening invitations for each of their patients.

Commissioners work with providers to ensure that letters and invitations have been endorsed by general practitioners. Providers have systems in place to ensure women who do not respond are provided with an opportunity not to miss screening by sending second timed appointments, ensuring that women are invited every three years and have tailored information available for particular groups of women, for example those with learning difficulties. Further information is available here:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/service-spec-24.pdf