Annual Report 2003: Chairperson's Statement
I would like to welcome you to the 2003 Annual Report of BreastCheck, the National Breast Screening Programme. The report includes the Programme performance data for 2003 and other Programme developments up to the time of publication in November 2004.
In an overall sense, 2003 was a year when BreastCheck met the targets set for Phase One of the Programme - and this achievement in turn laid the foundations for commencement of the national expansion of screening which began in March 2004 with the extension of the service to Wexford.
During the year the Programme consolidated on the excellent performance of the first three years of screening. There was a marked increase in the number of women invited for screening, from 49,408 in 2002 to 70,241 in 2003. We also submitted a detailed business plan for the national expansion of the Programme to the Department of Health and Children.
Throughout the year the Programme was well supported by the Minister and his Department to whom we owe our sincere thanks. I would also like to acknowledge the Board of BreastCheck for its commitment to the continued development of the Programme. Members of the Board are to be congratulated for their leadership and enthusiasm to maintaining the standard of excellence the BreastCheck service has established.
I offer a warm thanks to the Director of BreastCheck Mr. Tony O'Brien, and all the staff, who have ensured the success of the Programme through Quality, Standards and Teamwork.
I would also like to acknowledge the supportive contribution of GPs, primary healthcare nurses, public health nurses, Health Board staff, voluntary groups, community organisations, women’s groups, the media and members of the public.
It is clear that the Programme is winning strong support among women, as evident in the fact that during 2003 more than 91% of women invited for their second screening again took up the invitation.
We can look forward to the future with confidence that perhaps BreastCheck's strongest advocates are the women themselves who use the service.
Dr. Sheelah Ryan
Chairperson, National Breast Screening Board.
(from the Annual Report 2003)
BreastCheck Programme Statistics 2003
Download full Annual Report 2003: bc_areport03.pdf (.pdf file 1.2Mb, 46 pages)