East Anglia benefits from new government funding for breast cancer screening
Norfolk and Suffolk hospitals will get new units and upgrades
Last updated 12th Jan 2023
The government has committed £10m to speeding up breast cancer diagnosis across the UK - including in Norfolk and Suffolk.
The Norfolk and Norwich Hospital will get upgrades to its systems to help with early diagnosis - while a mobile screening unit will be rolled out at West Suffolk Hospital.
It's hoped the funding will enabled more women to get checked for breast cancer, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
The 29 new units will include 16 mobile ones that can be used flexibly in underserved areas, making screenings more accessible for thousands of women.
The funding will also go towards nearly 70 service upgrades for existing screening equipment, including to improve software for ultrasounds and X-rays.
Health minister Helen Whately said: "Catching cancer early saves lives. Last year 100,000 people were diagnosed with cancer at stages one and two. This is the highest proportion on record but we want to do better still.
"These breast cancer screening units will mean more people can get checked for cancer, closer to home.
"Most people will get the reassurance of an all-clear but for those who are diagnosed, catching their cancer early is the best thing we can do - and gets them on the path to early treatment too."
The funding is in place and can be spent by NHS trusts within the 2022/23 financial year, with the timing of the delivery of the units up to the trusts, DHSC said.