BREASTCHECK QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ONGOING BREAST SCREENING
- 09 November 2007
Following recent reports regarding some hospital based symptomatic breast services, BreastCheck - The National Breast Screening Programme wishes to reassure women about BreastCheck and to explain the BreastCheck service.
BreastCheck aims to reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer in Ireland amongst women aged 50-64. BreastCheck provides a high quality screening service and aims to detect the maximum number of breast cancers at the earliest possible stage.
The Service
BreastCheck invites women aged 50-64 for a free mammogram on an area-by-area basis on a two yearly cycle. The BreastCheck service is different from the symptomatic breast services provided at certain specialist breast centres throughout the country because the woman is not referred to BreastCheck by a GP and does not have symptoms of a breast cancer.
While it is internationally accepted that no screening system is 100 per cent accurate, BreastCheck aims to ensure that the screening service is as safe and effective as possible and wishes to highlight the following quality standards.
Reading of Mammograms
As a safety measure, every BreastCheck mammogram (breast x-ray) is read independently by two specially trained radiologists.
Multidisciplinary Teams
A specialist BreastCheck multidisciplinary team provides the screening service to women. This team involves consultants and medical staff including Anaesthetists, Histopathologists, Radiologists, Surgeons, Radiographers and Breast Care Nurses. The team employed by BreastCheck have a special interest, expertise and qualification in breast cancer and breast surgery.
The multidisciplinary team is involved in the screening, detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. The majority of the mammogram results are perfectly normal, however when a woman requires a further review the team use a 'triple assessment' approach. This includes clinical examination, additional mammography and other tests.
Quality Assurance Systems
Service standards and Quality Assurance systems are in place throughout BreastCheck. These high level standards are in line with international guidelines to ensure that the best service is provided to women.
Equipment
BreastCheck has high quality control standards in place for the management of mammography equipment. The team responsible for the screening equipment ensure that routine quality monitoring and audits are performed. The equipment used by BreastCheck is no older than seven years.
Ongoing Screening and Programme Expansion
In 2006 BreastCheck screened over 63,000 women. The service will be extended to the Southern and Western parts of the country with initial screening beginning in December 2007.
BreastCheck is currently screening women in counties Kildare, Laois, Louth, Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath and parts of Dublin and women are encouraged to attend their screening appointments.
Further Information
Sheila Caulfield
Clare Manning
Communications, BreastCheck
Tel: 01 - 865 9312 / 9300 or 087 637 5131
Information Line: Freephone 1800 45 45 55
BreastCheck - The National Breast Screening Programme is part of The National Cancer Screening Service.