Breast Screening

• Information about Breast Screening and our Services

  The NHS Breast Screening Service aims to invite all women aged 50 years up to a woman's 71st birthday for breast screening once every three years. Nationally the programme screens 1.3 million women each year and diagnoses about 10,000 breast cancers annually.

  The NHS Breast Screening Programme saves an estimated 1400 lives each year in England.

  The aim of breast screening is to detect breast cancer at an earlier stage, often before you are aware of any problem. Early detection may mean simpler and more successful treatment. Scientific evidence shows that regular breast screening, between the ages of 50 and 70 years, reduces the death rate from breast cancer.

  The South Lancashire Breast Screening Service, part of the NHS Breast Screening Service, provides a high quality, efficient and friendly breast service to the population of South Lancashire. We currently invite more than 86,000 women from the region for breast screening.

  To enable women to be screened closer to home, breast screening is carried out at a number of sites across the region. This may be in a hospital, clinic or our mobile digital breast screening vehicle.

  We are a modern unit with full field digital mammography equipment. Digital equipment produces images instantly rather than waiting for x-ray films to be developed, and improves the accuracy of diagnosis through more detailed images.

  The NHS Breast Screening Programme is subject to monitoring by the Quality Assurance Reference Centre (QARC). It ensures rigorous quality assurance standards are maintained.

  Changing your appointment
  If you already have an appointment but would like to change it, please contact us to discuss rearranging your appointment to a convenient date or location.

  NHS Breast Screening – Helping You Decide
  If you have questions about NHS Breast Screening services, please download and read the NHS Breast Screening – Helping You Decide advice leaflet.

  NHS Choices guide to breast screening video wall
  Follow the link below for a selection of videos that provide a guide to breast screening for anyone with a learning disability. They explain why it is necessary and what will happen when you go for your screening.

  View the NHS Choices Breast Screening Video Wall

• What is Breast Screening and Why Do We Do It?

  Breast Screening (Mammography) is an x-ray examination of the breasts and is a method of finding breast cancer at a very early stage.Your whole visit to the breast screening unit should take about half an hour.

  At your screening appointment a female mammographer will explain breast screening to you and ask you a few questions. She will then take the x-ray by compressing your breasts, one at a time between two special x-ray plates.  The compression only lasts a few seconds and there is no evidence this harms the breast. Compression is needed to keep the breast still, in order to get the clearest picture with the lowest amount of radiation.

  Some women find mammography uncomfortable and some find it painful as the breasts have to be held firmly in position and pressed to take a good x-ray. If you do experience pain it usually only lasts as long as the mammogram although it may continue for some time in a small number of women.

  Please do not use talcum powder or spray-on deodorant or body creams on the day you go for breast screening as this may affect the quality of your mammogram.

  Why We Screen

  One in seven women will develop breast cancer at some time in their life. 80% of breast cancers occur in women over 50. The risk of breast cancer rises as women get older. This is why the breast screening programme only targets women in this age group.

  Breast Screening can help to find small changes in the breast before there are any other signs or symptoms. If changes are found at an early stage, there is a good chance of a successful recovery.

  The NHS Breast Screening Programme is an effective part of the UK's efforts to reduce the death toll from breast cancer. The latest research shows the NHS Breast Screening Programme is now saving 1400 lives every year in England.

• When We Screen

  The South Lancashire Breast Screening Service invites approximately 30,000  women per year for screening. 

  Screening is organised according to your GP practice in all boroughs (PCTs). Once every three years your GP practice will be contacted and all women eligible for screening will be invited. You should receive your first appointment before your 53rd birthday and therefore there is no need to contact us for an appointment.

  Women over the age of 70 are encouraged to continue with breast screening and must contact the screening office once every three years to arrange an appointment.  

  Locations we are screening now

  • Leigh until May 2024
  • Skelmersdale until May 2024
  • Thomas Linacre Centre, Wigan until January 2025

  Screening is due in the following locations

  • Pemberton starting May 2024
  • Chorley starting May 2024
  • Penwortham starting July 2024
  • Ormskirk starting March 2025
  • Ince starting August 2025

  Changing Your Appointment

  Your appointment time, date or location can be changed if this is not convenient for you.

  If you would like to discuss the re-scheduling of your appointment please telephone us on 0300 707 5899 or e-mail at BSUAppointments@wwl.nhs.uk

• Where we screen

  Breast screening for South Lancashire women takes place at various locations around Wigan and Lancashire. 

  We have a permanent breast screening facility at the Thomas Linacre Centre in Wigan.

  We also have mobile units that move around the Lancashire and Wigan area staying at each site for a few months (see list of screening locations below). You will normally be invited to a location within the area of your GP’s surgery. If your invitation is not at a convenient location, please tell us and we can change your appointment to a convenient location where we are currently screening.

  Note: If you have difficulty in climbing steps and have been invited to a mobile unit, please contact the Screening Office and they will rearrange an appointment for you at our permanent facility in Wigan.

  Our mobile units visit the following locations on rotation:

  • Chorley: Chorley District Hospital
  • Ince: Lower Ince Health Centre, Claire House, Phoenix Way
  • Leigh: Leigh Infirmary
  • Leyland: Civic Centre
  • Ormskirk: Ormskirk General Hospital
  • Pemberton: Pemberton Surgery, Sherwood Drive
  • Penwortham: Booths Car Park, Millbrook Way
  • Skelmersdale: Hillside Health Centre, Tanhouse Road
  • Tarleton: The Health Centre, Gorse Lane
  • Wrightington: Wrightington Hospital

  As all our mobile units have steps to get onto, it is advised to telephone the screening unit should you find that you may struggle with these and an alternative location can be offered.

  Wheelchair users are advised to telephone the screening office to arrange an appointment at the Thomas Linacre Centre in Wigan.

  Find out when we are coming to your area by looking at the screening schedule.

• Who We Screen

  We screen women aged 50 years up until their 71st birthday

  All women aged 50 years up until their 71st birthday who are registered with a GP are eligible for screening. A list is compiled from GP records, so it is important to make sure your details are correct.

  The invitation is sent out automatically, so there is no need to phone and make your own appointment. All women will receive their first invitation for a mammogram sometime between their 50th and 53rd birthdays.

  We invite doctor’s practices for screening in turn, so women will not necessarily get their invitation in the year that they turn 50. As long as you are registered with a GP, you will receive an invitation before your 53rd birthday.

  Women over 71

  Breast screening for Women aged over 71yrs has now been resumed after being paused in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Please contact us if you would like to self-refer and make an appointment for your breast screening examination.

• Be Breast Aware

  Breast awareness is about becoming familiar with your own breasts and how they change.

  It is important to know how your body normally looks and feels.

  Being breast aware is about knowing the usual shape and feel of your breasts and being able to recognise any changes.

  Be Breast Aware....

  How do I become more aware?

  1. Know what is normal for you
  2. Know what changes to look and feel for
  3. Look and feel
  4. Report any changes to your GP without delay
  5. Attend for routine breast screening, if you are over 50

  There is no such thing as a standard breast and what is normal for one woman may not be for another. Your breasts will also look and feel different over time depending on the time of the month and your age. If you find any changes from what is normal for you go to your GP without delay.

  You are not wasting anyone's time

  It is important to know that most changes are not cancer. But, reassurance and advice will always help, and the sooner a possible cancer is reported, the more simple treatment is likely to be. Changes to look for:

  • A change in size or shape
  • A lump or thickening
  • Puckering or skin dimpling
  • Nipple becoming drawn or changing direction
  • Bleeding or discharge from the nipple
  • Rash on or around the nipple
  • Sudden roughness of the skin
  • Swelling under the armpit or around the collar bone
  • Constant pain in one part of your breast or in your armpit

  More information can be found by visiting the Macmillan website.

• Breast Screening Awareness Campaigns

  Breast screening, and raising awareness on the importance of screening is a campaign we are very passionate about.

  The South Lancashire Breast Screening Unit has partnered up with local hair and beauty salons to bring discounts to those attending their appointment.

  List of Hair and Beauty Salons offering discounts

• 'In Pink' Campaign

  

  Working in partnership with Three Wishes Charity, WWL's registered charity, the team at South Lancashire Breast Screening Unit have launched an 'In Pink' campaign.

  The 'In Pink' campaign aims to reach a goal of £60k to fund a new ultrasound machine and other equipment for the service.

  The new machine will help to improve the number of patients that can be seen, help to identify abnormalities quicker, and reduce waiting times.

  For more information on the Three Wishes Charity and how you can donate please visit our Charitable Funds page.

  To support is text '3INPINK' to 70470 to donate £3.

• Screening Appointments

  If you are aged between 50 years up until your 71st birthday you will receive an appointment once every three years, inviting you to have a breast screening mammogram.

  We invite around 30,000 women per year for screening in Wigan and South Lancashire.

  You do not have to contact us to make an appointment; we will ensure that you receive your invitation at the appropriate time.

  Breast screening for Women aged over 71yrs has now been resumed after being paused in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Please contact us if you would like to self-refer and make an appointment for your breast screening examination.

  If you would like to know whether you will be invited soon you can look at the screening schedule If it has been over three years since your last breast screening appointment then please contact us.

  We have a range of different locations where you can be screened and a range of appointment dates and times. We try to invite you to a screening clinic that is convenient for most women in your GP practice but we appreciate that this may not always suit you:

  When you receive your invitation letter you will see that we have already allocated you a specific screening location, appointment date and time. If you find this appointment inconvenient then please complete the reverse side of the letter so we can arrange an alternative location, date or time.

  Changing Your Appointment

  Your appointment time, date or location can be changed if this is not convenient for you.  If you would like to discuss the re-scheduling of your appointment please telephone us on 0300 707 5899 or e-mail at BSUAppointments@wwl.nhs.uk.

  NHS Breast Screening - Helping You Decide

  If you have questions about NHS Breast Screening Service the Helping You Decide leaflet can provide you with more information.

  Text Message Reminders

  If we hold a mobile telephone number for you in our records, we will send you a free text message approximately one week before your appointment is due. The text will also offer the option for you, if necessary, to request a cancellation or rearrangement of the appointment.

  If you would like to be included in this FREE reminder service, please contact us to ensure we have your up-to-date mobile number on file.

• Screening Results

  Your mammograms are reviewed and the results will be sent to you within two weeks. Your GP will also be notified of your results.

  There are 3 possible results

  1. Normal
  Your x-rays have shown no signs of cancer and you will be invited again in 3 years time for your next routine screen. If this will be after your 71st birthday then please contact us for an appointment nearer the time.

  2. Technical Repeat
  The mammogram needs to be repeated for technical reasons only. The quality of the x-ray does not allow for all the breast tissue to be seen clearly. Approximately 3 out of every 100 women screened will be called back for a technical repeat to get a good quality mammogram.

  3. Assessment
  Sometimes the mammograms do not give enough information and a further examination is needed before we can decide on a result. If this is the case you will receive an appointment to attend our assessment clinic at the Thomas Linacre Centre in Wigan.  Do not be surprised if we call you back and then tests show that there is nothing to worry about.  Most women will not have any problems and will get invited for screening in three years time as part of the routine screening process.

  Approximately 5 out of 100 women who have breast screening will be asked to come back to our clinic for a further examination. 4 of these 5 women will be found to have a normal result. Any women invited to an assessment clinic will be able to speak to a breast care nurse if they want more information before attending.

• Further Tests

  Why have I been invited back?

  You have been invited back for further tests because your breast x-rays did not give us enough information and more detail is needed before we can decide on a result.

  If the radiologist interpreting the screening mammogram images sees something that is questionable, unclear or abnormal on the images, they ask the patient to come back for further assessment. This additional appointment is part of routine screening and for most women invited back nothing of concern will be found.

  Can I speak to someone for more information before I come?

  If you would like specific information about the reason you have been invited back you may find it helpful to speak to one of our breast care nurses. The breast care nurse will have access to your records and will be able to give more personal information. Please feel free to contact us

  How many women are invited back?

  About 5 out of every 100 women who have screening will be invited back for this additional assessment. 4 out of 5 of these women will be found to have a normal result.

  What will happen at the clinic?

  On arrival most women will meet a breast care nurse who will explain what is to happen during the clinic.

  You may have some or all of the following tests:

  • Breast examination: the doctor / practitioner will talk to you about your mammograms, will ask you some questions about your general health and will then examine your breasts
  • Mammograms: most women will have further mammograms in order to show a particular part of the breast in greater detail
  • Breast ultrasound: ultrasound will be necessary for most women. An ultrasound scan uses sound waves to provide a picture of the breast tissue. It is harmless and pain free and does not involve any x-ray
  • Breast needle biopsy: it may be necessary for some women to have a small tissue sample taken from the breast. Local anaesthetic is always used to numb the area first.

  When will I get the results?

  Before you leave the clinic the breast care nurse will talk to you about your results. In most cases, the doctor will tell you the results of the tests on the same visit. If a needle sample is taken, you will be given an appointment for you to receive your results usually the week after.

  How long will I be at the clinic?

  Your appointment may take between 1 to 2 hours. As you are likely to be in the clinic for some time, you may wish to bring a friend or relative to sit with you while you wait.

  We appreciate that it may be worrying to be invited for a further appointment but please remember that the majority of women (4 out of every 5) that come back to this assessment clinic are found to have a normal result.

• I don't have any Symptoms?

  The National Breast Screening Programme is a population screening programme for well women and it is not aimed at women who already have symptoms. If you have a breast symptom or are concerned about your breasts, you should contact your GP practice without delay. He or she will decide whether you need any tests or investigations.

  A mammogram will pick up most, but not all, breast problems and is one of a range of tests that may be required for women with breast symptoms.

  If you would like more information about breast symptoms you may find it helpful to visit the Breast Cancer Care website www.breastcancercare.co.uk.

  Advice for women with a family history of breast cancer and who are worried they may be at increased risk is to discuss this with your GP.   

• Breast Cancer Family History Service

  The NHS South Lancashire Breast Screening Service offers a Breast Cancer Family History Risk Assessment Service for women of all ages who have a history of breast cancer in their family.
   
  Even though more than 8 out of 10 women who have a close relative with breast cancer will never develop the disease, having a mother or sister diagnosed with breast cancer may increase your risk.

  It's wise for any person with a family history of breast cancer to receive appropriate advice and assessment through the Family History assessment clinic and if at increased risk have regular screening because early detection of breast cancer saves lives.

  Advice from the NHS South Lancashire Breast Screening Service is for women with a family history of breast cancer and who are worried they may be at increased risk of the disease to discuss this with their GP.
   
  After a GP referral, the NHS South Lancashire Breast Care team will calculate the risk of developing breast cancer using a person’s family history and individual genetic factors. If the risk is found to be moderate or higher, the patient is likely to be offered an appointment for advice, support and possible early screening.
   
  The Breast Cancer Family History Risk Assessment Service supports women and men with blood relatives who have developed breast cancer - a parent, brother or sister, child, grandparent, aunt or uncle, nephew or niece, from either the mother’s or father’s side of their family.

• Breast Screening Leaflets and Publications

  Helping You Decide - Breast Screening Information Leaflet

  Breast implants and breast screening advice Leaflet

  If you require the information in an alternative format or language please contact the South Lancashire Breast Screening Unit on 0300 707 5899.

• Useful Breast Screening Links

  The following websites can provide more relevant information and advice:

  Breast Cancer Now
  Information and support on breast health and breast cancer. Interpreting service available.

  Breast Screening Programme - Public Health England
  Information on the NHS Breast Screening Programme.

  Macmillan Cancer Support
  Macmillan website

  Breast Awareness Information
  Information on being Breast Aware

  DISCLAIMER: This list has been written for educational purposes only, it can not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your doctor. No responsibility can be accepted for information on any linked page. Please read the provider's own disclaimer where appropriate. Inclusion in this list in no way implies endorsement for particular organisations or linked material.

• Contact Us

  You can contact the Breast Screening Unit to discuss your appointment via the telephone numbers and email address below.

  Changing Your Appointment

  Your appointment time, date or location can be changed if this is not convenient for you.  If you would like to discuss the re-scheduling of your appointment please telephone us on 0300 707 5899 or via email at BSUAppointments@wwl.nhs.uk