'Urgent review' call over breast screening unit

Campaigners have launched an urgent review into the removal of a town's breast screening unit.

The service was withdrawn from a Morrisons car park in Warminster, Wiltshire, after concerns about anti-social behaviour.

Liz Lee, who is working to restore the service with others in the town, has contacted the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to ask them to "urgently review their decision". She added: "We are really concerned that this is going to cause problems."

An ICB spokesperson said options to resolve the situation were being explored.

People in Warminster now have to travel four miles to Westbury, or further afield, to get screened.

Ms Lee added: "If you haven't got a car, it can take a lot of time and effort to get to Westbury for an appointment on time.

"For some women, any barrier you put in front of them will make this harder. It's [a breast screening] is not a particularly pleasant experience, but if the unit is outside your local supermarket than you are more likely to get that screening than if you have to travel."

The Warminster Health and Wellbeing Forum and Warminster Town Council launched the appeal to get the screening unit reinstated over their combined "deep concern" at the decision to remove it.

More than 800 people have signed a petition, launched by health campaigner David Reeves, calling for it to be brought back.

Ms Lee continued: "A mobile breast unit going out to local towns and villages is one of the best ways to save lives. It [breast screening] saves 1,300 lives each year.

"We are just feeling Warminster is not being treated fairly."

The decision to withdraw the service was made for a number of reasons, including concerns about anti-social behaviour such as people banging on the side of the van during treatment sessions.

The ICB spokesperson added: "We are committed to delivering the ambitions of the government's 10-Year Health Plan for the NHS, which includes offering services as close to people's homes and communities as possible.

"Together with NHS England, which commissions this service, and the Great Western Hospital, which provides the service, we continue to look at the options for the breast screening unit going forwards, and the ICB is in contact with the town council about this."

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