Breast screening

Routine breast screening appointments restarted

Breast screening services were temporarily postponed across the country in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are now able to restart breast screening again, and are contacting patients to rearrange their screening appointments.

You will be contacted via an appointment letter with information about your screening appointment, but please be aware that to ensure the safety of our staff and patients we will have new processes in place to limit the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

You may be invited to either the mobile screening unit or to the hospital.

• You should attend your appointment on your own, and there will only be one person invited onto the van at any time to encourage social distancing.

• If you attend an appointment at the screening van, we will invite you in when we are ready for you to come in for your screening – please do not attend until your appointment time, and if you need to wait you are invited to do so in your car.

• You should wear a face covering to your appointment, ideally a homemade or purchased mask (scarves can sometimes get in the way during screening!)

• The venue of your screening may change from your usual venue to assist our resumed services.

• Please try not to be late to your appointment, otherwise you will need to rebook for another time.

• Women over the age of 71 can self-refer.

• However anyone, regardless of age, should contact their GP in the first instance if they have any concerns about their breasts.

Coronavirus

If you or anyone you live with has had any symptoms of coronavirus in the last 14 days, please do not attend your appointment, but call 01284 713941 to let us know you will not be attending.

Please go to www.111.nhs.uk for further advice on how to check your symptoms and what actions to take, or visit www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.

Be breast aware

Please click here for NHS guidance about how to check your own breasts.

If you find any changes in your breast that aren't normal for you, or have any concerns, please call your GP as soon as possible. 

Services provided 

Breast screening is offered as part of the NHS breast screening programme either at the hospital or one of our mobile sites. The site you are called to for screening will be the one nearest to your GP surgery, but we can always accommodate you at another site if that would be more convenient. Our mobile breast screening unit visits Newmarket, Sudbury, Mildenhall, Rickinghall, Thetford and Haverhill.

Every woman between the ages of 50 to 71 years old should receive an invitation for routine breast screening once every 3 years. If you are over the age of 71 you may also ask us directly for a screen once every 3 years; it's free and as age is a risk factor in developing breast cancer we would encourage you to continue to come to regular screening.

We offer extended appointment service for disabled women or those with learning disabilities: do call us to book an appropriate appointment.

We also offer additional screening for those women who have a proven BRCA gene mutation via the genetics service referral at Addenbrookes.

Contact the team

Outpatient appointment enquiries: 01284 713713

Breast screening appointment enquiries: 01284 712880

Breast screening reception: 01284 713941

Breast care nurse: 01284 713281

Consultant radiologist: Dr Emma Senior (director of screening)

Consultant radiologist: Dr Sonja Jovanoska

Consultant radiologist: Dr Anita Lazarevska

Consultant radiographer: Lisa Chadwick, Ann Hills. Kathryn Taylor

Deputy superintendent: Rachel Bates

Assistant practitioner: Abigail Macintosh, Nemonee Stone

Radiographer: Sally Leggett

Radiographer: Lesley Rowlands 

Radiographer: Michelle Fountain

Radiographer: Joanne Horrocks 

Radiographer: Rachel Bates

Location 

The breast screening department is located off the main corridor to the right-hand side of the hospital past the outpatient department. Follow directions for wards G4/G5 continue through the corridor past the diabetes centre on your right until you get to the junction for wards G4/G6. Turn left, follow the corridor for ward G4, the breast screening department is situated half way along that corridor on the left-hand side, signposted as Lady Elsie Robson Unit. 

National information 

The information produced on this webpage is in compliance with the national information published on screening for local NHS websites. Please follow the links provided for national guidance on all forms of screening, including breast screening. 

NHS Choices

Gov UK                   

Patient information

If you are worried about breast cancer symptoms, such as a lump or area of thickened tissue in a breast, don't wait to be offered screening; please see your GP in the first instance. They will advise if a referral is needed to one of our symptomatic breast clinics. 

The links below provide guidance and useful information on various aspects of breast cancer: 

NHS breast screening programme

Breast screening information leaflets

Breast cancer now