In 2010 we were commissioned by the local NHS to increase uptake of breast cancer screening in Newham. Our team of local staff, many of whom are bilingual, phone local women to encourage them to go for their routine scan with the aim of finding an early diagnosis.
As a result of the project, attendance increased by 15%, potentially saving lives as breast cancer diagnosed earlier is much easier to treat. Due to its success, the programme has been extended to other areas of Central and East London such as Tower hamlets, City and Hackney, Camden and Islington.
Where the telephone support programme has been introduced for breast cancer screening there has been a 5-10% increase in screening coverage. This is consistent across different geographies and demographics (Newham, Camden and Tower Hamlets). In 2015-16 patients were at least two and a half times (2.66 times) more likely to attend screening when they were contacted by the telephone service.
The West London Cancer Alliance (RM Partners) has commissioned us to run a breast calling initiative in 14 boroughs from NW and SW London. We will be contacting women who have been invited for screening but have cancelled their appointment and haven’t rescheduled it within the last three months. We will be encouraging them to participate in the programme and we will be able to book a new appointment for them.
For our breast cancer screening programme, we work in partnership with GP practices in different areas of London and the London Breast Screening Administration Hub. We also have a Data Sharing Agreement in place with them. The data we use never leaves the NHS domain. For more information on GDPR please visit this website.
You can read the evaluation report for our breast cancer screening service and here (2014) and here (2017).