Over £7.8m invested in new equipment for Breast Test Wales service

Breast Test Wales, which usually screens 110,000  women each year is to receive £7.845m of Welsh Government funding to replace imaging equipment, the Minister for Health and Social Services Eluned Morgan has confirmed today (Friday 9th July).

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Wales in women, over 70% of breast cancers are diagnosed at stage one or two in Wales and the Breast Test Wales programme provides a vital service in helping to detect breast cancer early.

The service run by Public Health Wales (PHW) invites woman aged between 50 and 70 years for screening every three years. The programme looks for breast cancer before symptoms show using mammograms to enable early detection of the cancer.

The new funding, spread over the next two years, will be invested across Wales to replace mobile units, upgrades to centres and secure new 3D and biopsy equipment.

Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan, said: “Cancer screening services help to support better outcomes for individuals. Treatment for breast cancer has the greatest chance of being successful when the cancer is caught at an early stage.

“In Wales between 2001 and 2017 the death rate from breast cancer was reduced by nearly 25%. The investment announced today will ensure continued provision of breast screening services to meet current and the predicted future demands.”

Dean Phillips – Head of Programme for Breast Test Wales said: “This investment will ensure that Breast Test Wales can continue to offer a high quality breast screening service using state of the art equipment and excellent facilities. We are absolutely delighted that Welsh Government has committed this funding to the breast screening programme in Wales. This will enable our staff to  continue to offer this important service in Wales as locally as possible and on high quality equipment, which is great news.”