Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women were turned away from mammogram screening tests because they were unable to hold the required position for sufficient time in each of the last five years.

NHS England does not hold this information at a national level. NHS England is committed to improving the accessibility of the screening programmes it commissions and contractually, providers of National Health Service screening services are required to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that their services are accessible for people with disabilities.

Services make reasonable adjustments within the constraints of mammography equipment, to ensure that people with disabilities are offered the opportunity to have screening; However, there may be situations where this is not possible.

Local providers will have a better understanding of any accessibility issues for individual patients and will deal with these on a case by case basis. Providers will offer an alternative approach as necessary. For example, for women who are unable to have a mammogram, may be offered a referral to a symptomatic breast clinic for a physical check.