MP voices concerns over breast cancer

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 30th May 2007

Colchester MP Bob Russell has voiced his concerns over the screening of breast cancer for local women after it was revealed that the town is one of the worst in the country for providing the service.

Some 40 per cent of women in the age group 50 to 70 are not being screened within three years of their previous screening - making Colchester the 25th worst in the country according to a report published by the House of Commons as a result of a Parliamentary Question.

Today Mr Russell revealed that he had written to the Chief Executives of both the Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust and the North East Essex Primary Care Trust to ask why so many women in the Colchester area are not being re-screened within the national target figure of 36 months - and to request that action is taken to ensure that all women aged between 50 and 70 are screened.

Liberal Democrat Mr Russell said: "No woman in this age group should be screened later than three years from the last screening. To find out that 40 per cent are not being screened is not acceptable. I am shocked. Breast cancer can be a killer."

He said that he had previously been told that "hereditary screening", where females in families with a history of breast cancer would be called in for earlier and regular screening, had been ended. He would also be asking the local Health bosses about this.

Last November he tabled a Parliamentary Question calling on the Government to continue to provide screening for woman after they became 70. The three-year re-screening programme excludes those aged over 70. He did so after being contacted by a Colchester resident.