From West Sussex County Council

West Sussex County Council is supporting a major NHS England breast screening campaign, which aims to detect thousands of cancers earlier by highlighting the benefits of screening and encouraging more people to make the most of regular mammograms.

Figures from NHS England show more than four in ten women in England (46.3%) invited for the first time don’t act on their invitation.

At a meeting of Full Council in December 2024, West Sussex county councillors unanimously supported a notice of motion to increase public awareness of breast cancer, including the importance of self-examination and to encourage uptake of breast cancer screening.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. In West Sussex, although breast screening is above the national average at 71.6 % (2024), compared to 69.9 % in England, rates have declined since before the pandemic when it was 74.9 % (2019), compared to 74.5% in England. *

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.

Breast cancer is cancer that's found in the breasts or breast tissue in the chest. Anyone can get it, including men and transgender and non-binary people.

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 or email: uhsussex.westsussexbreastscreening@nhs.net  

People are encouraged to check their breasts/chest by regular self-examination (around once a month), to get to know what is normal for them. The NHS provides a ‘How to check your breast or chest guide’, which includes a helpful video showing how to do so. Any changes noticed that are not normal should be checked by your GP.

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.”

More information on breast screening can be found here: Breast screening (mammogram) - NHS

notes

*Fingertips | Department of Health and Social Care

Further information available on Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance Breast Screening Programme