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Don't forget to book vital screening
Thousands of women are missing potentially life-saving breast cancer checks after a 50% fall in the numbers attending appointments.
The routine health screening, which is offered to women aged 50 to 71, was put on hold due to Covid-19 but restarted in July.
Since then the numbers attending have dropped dramatically, with two thirds of women in west Suffolk and south west Norfolk not responding to letters offering them an appointment.
The fall comes despite extended operating hours, and women now being offered the chance to choose their own appointment time rather than being automatically assigned a time slot.
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust superintendent radiographer Sam Newton said: “Before Covid-19, we saw around 13,000 women a year for potentially life-saving health checks but we have seen a worrying fall in appointments.
“We invite women in the target age group to a screening once every three years. If you get a letter, please call us and get booked in. Don’t ignore it or put it off – it takes just a few minutes out of your day and could save your life.
“One in eight women are affected by breast cancer, and early detection makes a massive difference in providing effective treatment.
“We know people may be worried about Covid-19 but we have careful procedures in place to ensure the screening is as safe as possible, and it is really important that we continue to detect early breast cancer.”
The Trust screening service operates across west Suffolk and parts of Norfolk, with tests offered locally using mobile screening centres. Women can also choose to book an appointment at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds.
The Trust is currently sending appointment invitation letters to women in the Bury St Edmunds, Thetford, and Sudbury areas.
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