Last week Andrew Western met with Breast Cancer Now in the House of Commons. There, Andrew was told that breast cancer screening levels in Stretford and Urmston had dropped below the national average. He also heard how the breast cancer screening programme nationally was at breaking point.
The breast cancer screening programme has been struggling to get people to engage since the pandemic. However, uptake is particularly poor in Stretford and Urmston, with only 50% of eligible women attending for appointments.
Andrew Western said: “I am very concerned that Stretford and Urmston’s screening levels are below the national average and have offered to work with Breast Cancer Now to raise this issue in Parliament and to push for a return to appointment-led invites for screening.
“I will be following this issue in Parliament, and I urge all my constituents who are invited to breast screening to attend – and please encourage your loved ones to attend their appointments too.”
Breast screening is a really effective tool in improving women’s health. 90% of the cancers caught through screening will be at stage 1 or 2 which have much higher survival rates after treatment.
1 million fewer women were screened for breast cancer during the first year of the pandemic, and women who missed out were not re-invited when restrictions were lifted, which means almost 7,000 women could currently be living with undiagnosed breast cancer.