Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Breast Cancer Screening — [Sir Edward Leigh in the Chair]

16 December 2020 · 5 other contributors · 13,030 words

Opened by Robert Largan Con High Peak

Responding minister: Jo Churchill

NHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Robert Largan raised concerns about breast cancer screening — [sir edward leigh in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Every year, 55,000 women in the UK develop breast cancer.
  • One thousand women die from breast cancer each month in the UK.
  • Screening uptake in Robert Largan's constituency is 69.7%, below the England average of 72.4%.

Key requests to Government

Robert Largan asks the government to reinstate the mobile breast cancer screening unit in Buxton, Chapel-en-le-Frith and New Mills as a matter of urgency. He also queries what steps are being taken to ensure women respond to invitations for screening and how many have been screened this year compared with last.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Robert Largan Con High Peak

Every year, one in seven women will develop breast cancer, which is 55,000 women annually. Additionally, around 1,000 women die from breast cancer every month. In the High Peak area alone, an estimated 223 people develop breast cancer each year and 41 die from it. Early diagnosis significantly increases survival rates, yet screening uptake in Robert Largan's constituency is below the national average at 69.7% compared to the England average of 72.4%. The withdrawal of mobile screening units due to covid has exacerbated accessibility issues for constituents.

Other contributors (5)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Jim Shannon highlighted the devastating impact of breast cancer, stating that approximately 55,000 women and 370 men are diagnosed annually in the UK. He emphasised the importance of early screening to improve outcomes and reduce mortality rates, noting a backlog of nearly one million women awaiting screening due to pandemic-related disruptions. Shannon also expressed concern about staff shortages and increased demand on diagnostic services, urging for more dedicated resources and a long-term strategy from the government. Ladies may not be attending screening due to fear of catching covid-19 in hospitals. The concern has been raised with women at home.

  • Justin Madders Lab Ellesmere Port and Bromborough

    The MP thanked the hon. Member for High Peak for securing the debate, discussed the importance of breast cancer screening despite recent setbacks like temporary halting of mobile services in some areas, highlighted statistics showing 3 million people waiting for various screenings, noted a backlog of nearly 1 million women requiring breast screening and an estimated 8,600 undetected cases among them, raised concerns about open invitations strategy potentially worsening the situation, questioned measures to ensure uptake among those invited, mentioned workforce shortages including mammography staff vacancies at 15%, and called for urgent publication of a long-term workforce plan with costed actions.

  • Nicola Richards Lab West Bromwich East

    Ms Richards expressed concern about the number of breast cancer cases in her constituency and across England, noting that only 67.5% of women aged 50 to 70 are invited for screening within six months compared to the national average of 72.4%. She highlighted issues with workforce constraints and equipment availability as barriers to implementing recommendations from Professor Sir Mike Richards' review. Additionally, she raised concerns about the impact of the pandemic on screening backlogs and called for measures to encourage attendance among vulnerable groups.

  • Owen Thompson SNP Glasgow North West

    He thanked the NHS staff and cancer charities for their efforts during the pandemic. He highlighted the challenges of meeting demand for breast cancer screenings due to infection control measures, space limitations, and staff shortages. According to Breast Cancer Now, nearly 1 million women missed mammograms this year. There was also a significant drop in urgent referrals from GPs and fewer women starting treatment. The Scottish Government has invested £10 million in cancer services and purchased additional MRI and CT scanners. While welcoming the increase in consultant oncologists and radiologists in Scotland, he acknowledged that early detection is essential for saving lives but noted potential harms of mammograms.

  • Tim Farron Lib Dem Westmorland and Lonsdale

    Mr Farron expressed concern about the significant backlog in cancer treatment due to missed screenings during the pandemic, citing a potential impact on thousands of women. He highlighted that Cancer Research UK estimates a 60% capacity for screening services, leading to a reduction in radiotherapy treatments by 15%, which could cost lives unnecessarily. Mr Farron called for an urgent and comprehensive response similar to the NHS's handling of the pandemic, stressing the need for increased investment in diagnostic machines and radiotherapy capacity.

Government Response

Jo Churchill

Services are safe, with open appointments aiming to maximise use of available capacity. The national breast screening programme offers every woman between the ages of 50 and 70 an appointment every three years, with a target of no wait longer than 36 months. About half a million women are waiting for screening and need to be re-approached. Staff and facilities were redeployed during the pandemic but have been brought back in priority order. Services are running and will continue through winter. Urgent referrals have increased, with nearly 96% of patients receiving treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat.

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