Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the uptake of breast screenings in Ashfield and Eastwood constituency.

Steps being taken to increase the uptake of breast screenings in Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust include:

· Implementation of SMS text messages reminders;

· Systems to telephone patients directly to offer appointments;

· Women with learning disabilities are offered extended appointments, supportive pre-visits, an easy read breast screening leaflet and are able to attend with a friend, family member or carer;

· Provision of translation services;

· Work to establish a health inequalities breast screening register; and

· Allocation of £827,200 capital funding to Nottingham University Hospitals to boost activity and uptake of breast screening.

However, data is not collected by constituency. Patients in Ashfield are usually invited for screening by the Sherwood Forest Hospitals Breast Screening Programme and patients in EastWood are usually invited for screening by the Nottingham University Hospitals Breast Screening Programme.