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 improve breast cancer screening rates in Devon.

The Government is taking a range of actions to improve participation in breast screening in Devon, through the NHS Breast Screening Programme. These actions include:

• creating videos for different audiences, such as people with a learning disability or dementia;
• collaborating with local schools to provide information and promote breast screening awareness;
• contacting patients who do not attend their booked appointment to understand the reasons for non-attendance, and addressing barriers on an individual level to support attendance;
• sending text messages to remind patients of appointments;
• offering a chaperone service to individuals who are nervous about attending their appointment; and
• collaborating with a local menopause nurse to raise awareness of breast screening.