Breast screening clinics
If your routine screening is now due, overdue or you have recently registered, and you are waiting for an appointment you willbe on a waiting list.Appointments are being booked in priority order and you will be notified in writing as soon as an appointment is available.
If you have any urgent concerns or notice any worrying changes in your breasts that require medical attention, don’t wait until your screening appointment to raise those concerns, it is important to speak to your GP straightaway.
Find outmore about being breast aware go to our symptoms of breast cancer and reducing your risk page.
If you have any queries aboutbreast screening contact us on +44 (0) 1534 443790 or email the breast screening service.
Who breast screening is offered to
If you're aged between 50 and 69, you can register for breast screening online by completing the breast screening online registration form.
You have to register for breast screening as you won't automatically be invited for screeningwhen you reach 50.
Once you've registered, you’ll then be invited for screening everytwo years.
Women aged 50 to 69 | Routinely offered every two years. |
|---|---|
Women aged 70 to 75 | We don't routinely callwomen over 70 but you cancontinue to have screening everytwo years until you reach75. Contact thebreast screening service on + 44 (0) 1534 443790 or by email tomake an appointment. |
Women aged over 75 | If you're over 75, youshould talk to your GP about continuing to be screened and they'll refer you if appropriate. |
What happens during breast screening
Breast screening uses x-raysto look for breast cancers when they're too small to be seen or felt.The earlier breast cancer is found, the more successful the treatment.
Breast screening is carried out by female staff only.It takes place at the General Hospital at the Le QuesneUnit.
At yourappointment, you'll:
- meet the female radiographer who'llcarry out your screening test. She'llcheck your details, ask you a few questions and explain what will happen
- be shown to a changing room,asked to undress from the waist up and asked toput on a hospital gown
- be taken to the mammography examination room where you'll be askedto take off your gown
- beguidedinto the correct position at the mammogram machine. One breast at a time will be placedbetween two special plates andpressed firmly between the plates for a few seconds. Two pictures are takenof each breast
- be shown back to the changing room where you can get dressedand go home
You mightfind the testuncomfortable but anydiscomfort usuallypasses quickly.
You can expect to be at the hospital for about halfan hour. The actual test only takes a few minutes to complete.
The results of your breastscreening
You should receive your resultsby postwithin two weeks of your appointment.
Normal result
Most women get a normal screening result meaningtheir mammogram shows no sign of cancer.
Abnormal result
Around fourin every 100 women have an abnormal result and are called back for more tests. This happens more often for women having their first mammogrambecause we don't have other mammograms to compare with.
Further tests might includemore mammograms, an ultrasound scan or a biopsy.
If you're told you have breast cancer, you'll be cared for by a specialist breast cancer team. Most, but not all, cancers found at breast screening can be successfully treated.
Your breast cancer screening results on NHS Choices website
Risks and side effects of screening
Mammograms have been routinely used worldwide.
Having a mammogram means you're exposed to a small amount of radiation.
No screening test is perfect. Anormal result doesn't mean that you definitely don't have,or will never develop breastcancer.
Sometimesyou'll be recalled for more tests, but cancer isn't there.
Screening can find cancers that are thentreated but may never have caused harm.
Whether or not you go for breast screening, you should speak to your GP straightaway if you're worried about a breast problem.
Symptoms of breast cancer and reducing your risk
Performance of the Jersey breast screening programme
We run strict quality control checks and submit our results to the Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey. Our programme is also overseen by the chairman of the NHS Breast Screening Programme Quality Assurance Committee. We have consistently achieved the cancer detection targets set by this committee.
The Jersey Breast Screening Programme is also measured against the standards for the NHS Breast Screening Programme each year.
