Women in Calderdale urged to take up their breast screening appointments

Invitations are being sent out to people in the Ripponden and Sowerby Bridge areas as the Pennine Breast Screening Service’s mobile unit is currently operating out of the Asda car park in Thrum Hall, Halifax.

Health Promotion Specialist, Julie Hodgins, said: “The mobile screening unit plays an important role in the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and it is important that the service is as accessible as possible for the women we invite.

“I am very grateful to Asda for their support in offering the unit their car park as it is a really convenient location, which women will hopefully find has plenty of car parking.

“It’s our sincere wish that as many people in Calderdale as possible will take advantage of their breast screening invitations as early diagnosis really does save lives.”

The national programme provides breast screening to all women aged between 50-and-70-years-old who are registered with a GP, with first invites arriving before the woman turns 53.

Women are invited for breast screening every three years. Breast screening involves taking an image or mammogram of the breast to detect any early signs of breast cancer. Mammography can pick up cancers that are too small for a woman to see or feel in the breast. This early detection means treatment of the cancer will be more effective.

Women over 70-years-old do not receive an automatic invitation but are able to contact the screening office on 01274-365521 to arrange an appointment.

From next week (November 12) to February 2019, the screening unit moves to the B&Q Superstore, on Shroggs Road, Halifax, with approximately 4,000 women from the Illingworth and Shelf areas invited to attend.

The Pennine Breast Screening service covers the areas of Bradford, Airedale, Calderdale, Dewsbury and Huddersfield and is run by Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.