Breast screening facts

The North Staffordshire breast screening service is part of the NHS breast screening programme.  It currently provides breast screening for women from the age of 50 to 70 years in the areas covered by the North Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).

The breast screening programme is extending to include all women between the ages of 47-73 by 2017.   Any woman over the age of 70 may self-refer for screening by ringing 0300 123 1463.

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.