UK government to invest £10m in new breast cancer screening units

The UK government has announced a £10m investment to develop 29 new breast cancer screening units.

The units will be directed to areas where they are most needed to increase capacity and speed up diagnosis and treatment.

The announcement follows concerns voiced by the charity Breast Cancer Now over a decline in breast cancer early-stage diagnosis as a result of the pandemic.

The data has shown a dip in the rate of early, stage one and two, breast cancer diagnosis – a sharp contrast to the years leading up to the pandemic when early diagnosis rates were rising.

The government’s latest investment is hoped to reverse the trend, allowing more women to be screened earlier and access care closer to home.

“Last year 100,000 people were diagnosed with cancer at stages one and two. This is the highest proportion on record but we want to do better still,” said Minister of State for Health, Helen Whately.

“These breast cancer screening units will mean more people can get checked for cancer, closer to home.

“Most people will get the reassurance of an all-clear but for those who are diagnosed, catching their cancer early is the best thing we can do.”

As part of the investment, the government will provide 16 new mobile breast screening units, 13 static units, 58 live remote access upgrades for existing units and 10 software upgrades in areas with existing units to carry out ultrasounds and X-rays.

The funding is now in place for NHS trusts to spend within the 2022 to 2023 financial year and the timing for delivery of units will be individual to each trust.

Steve Russell, NHS national director for screening and vaccinations, said: “Screening is vital in detecting breast cancer early and getting better outcomes for patients, and this further investment is great news for improving access to breast screening services for women across England.

“This funding will help increase screening rates among women from communities and regions where uptake is lowest by improving facilities in both fixed and mobile locations, making it easier for more women to get checked, and we encourage anyone invited for a screening to take up their appointment without delay and help us catch cancers earlier when they are easier to treat.”

Ciarán Norris, head of campaigns and public affairs at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We welcome any intervention that helps to speed up diagnosis and improve access to cancer screening services, particularly in areas where they are most needed, as we know the earlier someone is diagnosed the better their outcome is likely to be.

“Alongside this, we also look forward to working with the government on steps to grow and sustain the cancer workforce, to ensure our cancer services can provide timely treatment and care for everyone living with cancer, both now and in the future.”

Breast screening is one of the best ways to spot a cancer that is too small to feel or see. Each year more than two million women have breast cancer screening in the UK through the NHS Breast Screening Programme.