What is it?
Introduced in 1988 as an early detection service for breast cancer, the program states that all women who are aged between 50 – 70 years of age will be routinely invited for free breast screening every three years. The program is very successful and currently saves around 1,400 lives per year.
Breast screening aims to find breast cancer at an early stage, often before there are any symptoms. To do this, an x-ray is taken of each breast (mammogram). Early detection may often mean simpler and more successful treatment. When women are invited for their mammogram depends on which GP they are registered with, not when their birthday is.
Who’s eligible?
Anyone registered with a GP as female will be invited for NHS breast screening every 3 years between the ages of 50 and 71. You’ll get a letter in the post inviting you.
If you are under 50 and concerned about any aspect of breast care, please contact the surgery to make an appointment with your GP.
If you’re a trans man, trans woman or are non-binary 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.
You need to be registered with a GP surgery to be invited for breast screening.
Use this link to find your nearest screening service: Location Selection (london-breastscreening.org.uk)/Find breast screening services – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
If you have not been sent a letter
If you have not been invited for breast screening by the time you are 53 and think you should have been, contact your local breast screening service.
For more information about breast cancer screening please visit: Breast screening (mammogram) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
If you are 71 or over
You will not automatically be invited for breast screening if you are 71 or over.
But you can still have breast screening every 3 years if you want to. You will need to call your local breast screening service to ask for an appointment.
