Swindon breast team back national NHS breast screening campaign

Thousands more breast cancers could be detected earlier in England next year in a major new NHS drive to support more women to attend potentially life-saving breast screening.

The NHS in England has, this week, launched its first-ever awareness campaign to highlight the benefits of screening and encourage more women to make the most of regular mammograms, as figures show more than four in ten (46.3%) invited for the first time don’t act on their invitation.

New NHS estimates suggest that if screening attendance could be improved to 80% of those eligible next year (2025/26), nearly a million more women (around 925,000) could be screened, compared to 2022/23 – with over 7,500 additional breast cancers detected at an earlier stage, when they are more treatable.

In Swindon during 2024, 32,928 women were invited for breast screening, with 24,367 booking in for an appointment. Of these screens, 939 women were referred for further assessment, with 228 cancer diagnosed. 

Of the nearly 33,000 women invited last year though, around 25 per cent did not take up the offer of a breast screening appointment when invited. 

Now, the breast team in Swindon are appealing to local people to book in as soon as possible after receiving the letter, as catching breast cancer earlier makes it more likely that treatment will be successful. 

In an open letter to women invited for screening, Victoria Derbyshire, Newsnight anchor, said: “I’ve had breast screening multiple times. For me it was painless and I was happy to be screened; my motivation was to make sure any irregularities were picked up – because the earlier breast cancer is detected, the greater the chance of survival.

"When I was diagnosed, I thought I wouldn’t get to see my two little boys grow up (then aged 8 and 11). I thought I wouldn’t get to grow old with my partner Mark. I’m still here thanks to the skill of the NHS – 2025 will be 10 years since I was diagnosed. Breast screening might just help save your life. Please go.”

For more information about breast screening, please visit Breast screening (mammogram) - NHS