There’s an effort to get more women in West Sussex to undergo breast screening. The County Councils supporting an NHS England campaign as new figures released show Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK.
In West Sussex, although breast screening is above the national average at 71.6 % in 2024, rates have declined since before the pandemic when it was 74.9 % in 2019.
About one in eight women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. The NHS Breast Screening Programme saves 1,300 lives from breast cancer each year in the UK and for every 1,000 screens, around nine breast cancers are found, diagnosed and treated earlier, offering the best chance of recovery.
Anyone can get it, including men and transgender and non-binary people.
Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Bob Lanzer said: “Increasing breast cancer awareness through self-examination and breast screening, is crucial in helping people across West Sussex to stay alert to breast cancer. Identifying it as early as possible helps people to get access to the support they need. I urge everyone to take up the offer of breast cancer screening when invited. This work is part of our ongoing commitment to helping people live full and healthy lives and fulfil their potential in line with the priorities in Our Council Plan.”
How do you get breast screening?
The NHS breast screening programme invites anyone registered with a GP as female aged from 50 up to their 71st birthday for NHS breast screening every three years. Women will automatically get their first invite for breast screening between the ages of 50 and 53. If you’re a transgender man, a transgender woman or a non-binary person, you may be invited automatically, or you may need to talk to your GP surgery or call the local breast screening service to ask for an appointment.
Anyone in West Sussex who is over the age of 53, including those aged 71 or over, who have not been screened in the last three years and wishes to be screened, should contact the local breast screening service on 01903 239757
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