New mobile breast cancer screening unit for Shropshire included in £10m Government funding plan

Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust will receive the unit after the Government announced it would be spending £10m on equipment and upgrades across the country to speed up diagnosis and treatment.

Sara Biffen, acting chief operating officer at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said the new unit would have "advanced technology" and would be based at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

She said it would replace the existing unit and would mean the trust is able to see more women.

The country-wide investment has been welcomed by the NHS's national director for screening, as well as Macmillan Cancer Support.

Ms Biffen said: “This is fantastic news that national funding has been released for a new mobile breast screening unit at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

“A new unit with advanced technology will replace the existing one and will enable us to see more women and therefore identify those with undiagnosed breast disease at the earliest opportunity. This is great news for Shropshire women.”

Minister of State for Health Helen Whately said: “Catching cancer early saves lives. Last year 100,000 people were diagnosed with cancer at stages one and two. This is the highest proportion on record but we want to do better still.

“These breast cancer screening units will mean more people can get checked for cancer, closer to home.

“Most people will get the reassurance of an all-clear but for those who are diagnosed, catching their cancer early is the best thing we can do – and gets them on the path to early treatment too.”

Steve Russell, NHS national director for screening and vaccinations said: “Screening is vital in detecting breast cancer early and getting better outcomes for patients, and this further investment is great news for improving access to breast screening services for women across England."

Ciarán Norris, head of campaigns and public affairs at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We welcome any intervention that helps to speed up diagnosis and improve access to cancer screening services, particularly in areas where they are most needed, as we know the earlier someone is diagnosed the better their outcome is likely to be.

“Alongside this, we also look forward to working with the Government on steps to grow and sustain the cancer workforce, to ensure our cancer services can provide timely treatment and care for everyone living with cancer, both now and in the future.

“This funding will help increase screening rates amongst women from communities and regions where uptake is lowest by improving facilities in both fixed and mobile locations, making it easier for more women to get checked, and we encourage anyone invited for a screening to take up their appointment without delay and help us catch cancers earlier when they are easier to treat.”