Mobile breast screening units make their return
The mobile breast screening units in Grays and Canvey Island have opened their doors to patients once again, screening invited women who are aged between 50 and 71.
Located next to Morrisons in Grays and at Knightswick Shopping Centre on Canvey, the units have additional PPE, wipe clean vinyl seating and flooring and additional hand sanitising points for patients coming along for their screening. Both sites have recorded good attendance since reopening.
They are just two of the mobile unit in the area, with another one sited at Warrriors Square in Southend set to open at the end of September and one outside the Basildon Council building, whose date has yet to be finalised. All sites are chosen for their central and easily accessible locations.
For the screening year 2019/20 23,457 women came to be screened, 613 were re-called to have further assessment and 186 cancers were detected in women in the local area from our breast screening programme.
Breast screening in the community plays a really important role as it helps identify breast cancer early. The earlier the condition is found, the better the chances of surviving it. You're also less likely to need a mastectomy (breast removal) or chemotherapy if breast cancer is detected at an early stage.
Screening saves about one life from breast cancer for every 200 women who are screened, this adds up to about 1,300 lives saved from breast cancer each year in the UK.
Clare Rogers, Programme Manager for South Essex Breast Screening for Mid and South Essex University Foundation Trust, said: “It’s great to be able to welcome women back to breast screening, not only at the hospital site but now on the mobile screening units as well.
“This phased return will see changes to units being made to ensure we are keeping everyone as safe as possible.
We are working through the screening backlog as quickly as we can for those who were due to be seen at Warrior Square, Grays and Canvey by putting on additional clinics and opening at weekends where possible. We urge anyone who has any breast concerns not to wait for their screening appointment and to contact their GP immediately.”