South Essex Breast Screening Service
Welcome to the South Essex NHS Breast Screening service.
Our Southend Hospital breast unit and its three dedicated mobile screening vans, currently cater for a population of approximately 94,000 women from the Shoebury, Thorpe Bay, Southend, Westcliff, Leigh, Thundersley, Canvey, Basildon, Stanford, Corringham, Grays, Lakeside, Rochford, Hockley, Rayleigh, Billericay and Wickford areas.
The breast screening service was first introduced to the NHS in
1987, following a report which highlighted the importance of
implementing a high quality screening service to reduce mortality
of women from breast cancer.
To achieve this, mammograms (X-rays) of both breasts are taken and
then interpreted by two highly qualified mammography film
readers.
Current statistics show that approximately one in eight women in
the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their
lifetime.
The aim of this service is to detect breast cancer at an early
stage, often before any symptoms have been noted, so that treatment
may therefore be simpler, more effective and enable a better chance
of recovery.
Currently our mobile screening units are located in
Grays, Wickford and Southend.
Contact breast screening office: 01702 385024
Email: bss@southend.nhs.uk
Useful links:
This is a hub intended to complement the NHS breast screening
information already available. It is an independent website
with lots of information, videos and chat forums.
Pink leaflet 'helping women decide' available here in various
languages
'Be breast aware' leaflets available here in various
languages
NHS choices website for a comprehensive index of
information.
'Breast implant' leaflet
Breast screening leaflet for women with learning
difficulties