Breast screening programme resumes in Keighley
Screening appointments were paused for 5 months due to the COVID pandemic.
Last updated 30th Sep 2020
Routine breast screening for women across Keighley and Airedale starts this month following a five-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pennine Breast Screening team will be inviting women registered with GPs in the Keighley area initially. Women should wait for their invitation before contacting the Breast Screening Unit.
Appointments will be at the mobile unit in the car park at the side of Sainsbury’s, Keighley, but appointments can be made at any of the other units instead. There are mobile units in place in areas across Leeds too.
Screening is a vital health check for women aged 50-70 and all women are urged to take up three-yearly invitations.
Check out this video to learn more about the process:
The mobile units have been updated to ensure the safety of women and staff, and women attending appointments will be asked to follow certain infection prevention and control measures which will be set out in their appointment letters.
Breast Screening Health Promotion Specialist, Sadie Greenwood, said: “We’re delighted that we can start inviting women for screening once again.
“We’ve been working hard to make sure we can see women safely and are now ready for the service to go live. Appointment times have been extended to allow thorough cleaning of the unit between appointments, and in some areas staff will be working shifts to provide a similar number of appointments per day over a longer period, including Saturdays, to create a more flexible service with slots available throughout the day and evening.”
Breast cancer affects 1 in 7 women and a mammogram can potentially find disease in the breast up to two years before you can feel or see it yourself, making treatment options simpler and easier.
Consultant Breast Radiologist, Dr Shazia Khan said: “This is a really important early detection test that saves lives. The mammographers are a professional female team who provide an excellent service and put women at ease.
“A mammogram lasts around five minutes, although it is advised that you allow 30 minutes for the whole appointment. It can feel a little weird the first time you have a mammogram, and most women say it’s ‘a bit of a tight squeeze but no big deal’ and are grateful for the peace of mind that it brings.”
The Pennine Breast Screening Unit, based at St Luke’s Hospital, covers one of the largest breast screening regions in England and invites over 202,000 women over a three yearly period for their mammogram