Breast Cancer Screening

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Conference
2013 National Retired Members Conference
Date
11 June 2013
Decision
Carried

The NHS Breast Cancer Screening Programme provides free breast screening every three years for all women aged 50 and over. At present routine invitations are sent to women up to age 70 and in England the age range is being extended to age 47 to 73. This extension should be completed by 2016. However, the incidence of breast cancer increases with age and women are encouraged to continue receiving screening after the cut-off for routine invitations by requesting mammograms from their local unit every three years. Breast screening units aim to help women remember to do this by handing them a card at their last routine screening appointment.

Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee and calls upon the National Executive Council to liaise with the National Women’s Committee, to publicise the fact that the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age and that women should continue to access three-yearly breast screening after age 73 by making requests as necessary to their local breast screening unit.