Watchdog Praise Over Screening

All parts of Scotland are now hitting national standards for the uptake of breast cancer screening, according to health service watchdogs. The findings came in a report yesterday from NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. It also found services were close to meeting a standard of 95% of women being notified of their results within 15 days.

While applauding improvements, the report said that some women who should be screened may not be getting appointments because of flaws in the monitoring system.

Service standards state that a minimum of 90% of eligible women are sent their first invite before they are 53 and that they are subsequently screened every three years. But the report indicates that while observations about monitoring were highlighted three years ago, systems were still not robust enough to gauge if centres were able to prove whether they are meeting the standard.

The findings come in a follow-up to a 2003 report which identified take-up rates as a “challenge”. The latest report found that each of Scotland’s six regional screening services is now achieving the standard of at least a 70% take-up rate, and four services achieved more than 75%.

Reducing the rate of technical recalls – where mammograph film had to be retaken, remained a “challenge”. But there had been a big improvement in the number of screening centres notifying 95% of women of the result of their scans within 15 working days.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, and in Scotland a woman is diagnosed with the disease every three hours. The Scottish programme screens about 140,000 women a year, and each year about 3600 breast cancers are diagnosed, 1000 of those by screening.

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland chairman Sir Graham Teasdale said the “remarkably high” uptake rates were a vote of confidence in the service. On a whole range of standards we see the same picture emerging – all six services meeting criterion after criterion in full,” he said.

“That is a testament to the dedication, professionalism and experience of the staff. Where we do see challenges, the services are often within touching distance of meeting the standard. Among these is the aim of notifying 95% of women of their results within 15 days, and even here services are close to meeting the standard.

“We are always looking for ways to improve and all those working in the breast screening service in Scotland have yet again shown that they are committed to providing the highest possible standards of care.”

SNP health spokeswoman Shona Robison said that while progress had been made it wanted to see the programme extended so that women over 40 receive check-ups. “It must be remembered that there is still improvement to be made in waiting times for breast cancer as one in eight breast cancer patients still fail to meet the two-month waiting target. It is vital patients are given the best chance to survive a potentially life-threatening disease through early diagnosis so more work must still be done to fully meet this target.”