I am conscious of the need to have high quality diagnostic and symptomatic breast cancer services in this country. When Breast Check, the national breast screening programme was launched recently, I announced that I was commissioning a review of the diagnostic and symptomatic breast cancer services currently available throughout the country. I requested the National Cancer Forum to carry out the review with the following terms of reference: to assess the impact on the existing diagnostic services for benign and malignant breast disease in the light of the forthcoming national breast screening programme; the increase in the target population; the increased awareness of the importance of breast screening; and the current and evolving technologies in the area of breast screening.
The group are to make recommendations to me on the diagnostic services for symptomatic breast disease necessary to meet projected increased needs, the need to develop associated services, the resources required to develop these services and the principles that should underlie the organisation and delivery of diagnostic services to ensure equity of access to, and the highest quality in, the provision of diagnostic services for breast disease.
I understand that this review is now at an advanced stage. The National Cancer Forum expects to receive the report on the review at their December meeting. The forum will analyse the report and forward the necessary recommendations to me on the matter.
The mammography units and average waiting times for appointments in each unit are listed on the table which I will circulate in the Official Report.