Breast Cancer: Screening

(asked on 10th May 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) mammographers and (b) radiologists his Department plans to recruited to provide the additional capacity required for the breast screening programme as a result of the failures of the breast cancer screening programme.


Answered by
Steve Brine Portrait
Steve Brine
This question was answered on 15th May 2018

NHS England is taking major steps to put in place additional capacity of screening services to respond to the breast screening incident working with existing staff, including over evenings and weekends, and advise that they are also working closely with all local services and commissioners to ensure that they can co-ordinate any extra screening required across the programme.

In addition, NHS England is confident that all areas of the country will have the capacity to absorb any increase in demand on diagnostic services for those women who require follow up tests. Private capacity will only be used if necessary and where it meets national standards.

The Department, Public Health England and NHS England are working closely to ensure timelines agreed are met as a result of the failure of the breast cancer screening programme.

All women affected who wish to have a breast screen will receive an appointment to take place before the end of October 2018, but the vast majority will be seen sooner.

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