SOUTH WEST of SCOTLAND BREAST SCREENING SERVICE Area covered Ayrshire and Arran and Dumfries and Galloway Population to be invited is 80,161+ over three years (Period:2014/17) The service is located within NHS Ayrshire & Arran, SWS Breast Screening Centre, Ayrshire Central Hospital, Kilwinning Road, IRVINE KA12 8SS. The Centre is one of six Breast Screening Centres located throughout Scotland, the others being, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness. Irvine first opened its doors to women in September 1990. Eligible women from the Townhead Medical Practice, Irvine were the first to be invited to the Centre. Largs was the first mobile location. Female aged 50-70 years are automatically invited for routine breast screening once every three years Women 70+ years, although not automatically invited, can self refer once every three years either by contacting their own GP or the Breast Screening Centre directly. To be eligible for routine breast screening, women are required to be registered with a GP in Ayrshire and Arran and Dumfries and Galloway Health Boards - 94 General Practices, approximately 462 GPs in area. We currently have two Mobile Units covering 29 locations through out the area and two mammography (x-ray) rooms in the Centre. Mobile Screening Units are always staffed by two female Radiographers Mammographers We operate a rolling three year (screening round) planned programme, visiting each location once in each screening round. Women are invited by practice within each screening location and town. Women in and around the Irvine area are invited to attend the Centre in Irvine. All others are invited to attend one of our two mobile units located within the region.
Screening is by appointment only. We currently work Monday Friday at all Mobile and Static Units. Our maintenance assistants/drivers attend the Mobile Units, cleaning the units, replenishing supplies, fresh water for washing hands, and so on. There are no toilet facilities on board the Mobile Units, hence the need to site units within close confines of toilet facilities, that is, supermarkets, sports complexes, health centres. Invitation letters (appointments) are issued directly from the Centre and are mailed out approximately three to four weeks in advance. Women have the right to remove their name at any time from the Breast Screening Programme by signing a disclaimer letter. On receipt of the signed letter their name will be removed from the programme and their GP notified of their decision. However should she change her mind, at any time in the future, she can request to be re-instated back into the programme. Result letters are issued to women and GPs within 10-15 working days of attendance (with exception of downtime due to Public Holidays, equipment service days). GPs are also notified of the outcome of further assessment, non attendance, declined appointments. Women who fail to attend their first invitation letter will receive a reminder letter, within seven working days of non-attendance. Should they wish to make another appointment they can choose to attend any of our screening locations that are available at that time. Also available is the option to attend any of the other Scottish Breast Screening Centres if it is more convenient. The Centre also accommodates the SWS Breast Screening Assessment/Review Clinics held every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Symptomatic women that is a woman who finds a lump, has dimpling, discharge from nipple who call to make an appointment are advised to contact their own GP who will in turn arrange for an appointment at local Breast Clinic at University Hospital Crosshouse. The Centre is also host to the University Hospital Crosshouse (UHC) Symptomatic Clinic on a Tuesday afternoon most weeks and also that of the UHC Benign Breast Lump clinic on a Wednesday afternoon. Further information on both these clinics is available from UHC, Medical Records Department. Telephone 01563 521133. We actively encourage women to be breast aware. The most important thing for all women, regardless of age, is to get to know what is normal for them and that they should tell their GP about any changes as soon as they spot them.
The South West of Scotland actively promotes a positive attitude, taking on board all comments/suggestions made by the public and staff alike to enable the provision of a better service to all eligible women in the South West of Scotland. Telephone Number: Irvine 01294 323506/7 Fax: 01294 277104 Or visit website: Website: www.nhsaaa.net or www.facebook.com/nhsaaa@nhsaaa : South West of Scotland Breast Screening Service, Ayrshire Central Hospital, Kilwinning Road, IRVINE, Ayrshire KA12 8SS Lcain/:SWSBSS Information.doc August 15
SOUTH WEST of SCOTLAND BREAST SCREENING SERVICE When will we be screening in your area? Women in the target age range, 50 70 years, who are registered with a GP in Ayrshire & Arran and Dumfries & Galloway, will be invited to attend either our screening Centre in Irvine or to one of our two Mobile Screening Units which travel to various locations throughout the area. The programme takes three years to complete; eligible women from each General Practice are invited once every three years. Women 70+ years, although not automatically invited, can self refer once every three years either by contacting their own GP or the Breast Screening Centre directly. For women aged 50 70 invitations are sent out in batches based on the GP practice with which they are registered. This means that you may not receive an invitation immediately when you reach your 50 th birthday. However, if you have recently moved into the area, changed GPs and would like to find out more about the Breast Screening Service in your area or would like a free copy of NHS Scotland Breast Screening helping you decide please contact the Centre directly. The Scottish Breast Screening Service actively encourages women to be breast aware. The most important thing for all women, regardless of age, is to get to know what is normal for you and that you should tell your GP about any changes as soon as you spot them. The South West of Scotland actively promotes a positive attitude taking on board all comments/ suggestions made by the public and staff alike to enable the provision of a better service to all eligible women in the South West of Scotland. For your free copy of NHS Scotland Breast Screening Helping you decide Please contact: Telephone Number: Irvine 01294 323506/7
Fax: 01294 277104 Or visit website: Website: www.nhsaaa.net or www.facebook.com/nhsaaa@nhsaaa South West of Scotland Breast Screening Service, Ayrshire Central Hospital, Kilwinning Road, IRVINE, Ayrshire KA12 8SS