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What to expect at your appointment

Information on preparing for your appointment and what to expect when you arrive.

  • Please be prepared to have the details of when and where your last mammogram was (if applicable.) You will be asked for this information before your mammogram can be performed. 
  • If you have had a mammogram within the last 6 months, with us or elsewhere, please contact the screening office before attending your appointment.
  • If you are currently under the care of a hospital for a breast problem please call the Screening Office to discuss your screening appointment.
  • We ask that ladies with breast implants please contact the screening office before attending your appointment. More information can be found by clicking here
  • We cannot accept children under 16 years old onto the mobile vans.
  • Please attend your appointment alone where possible.
  • Please refrain from wearing talc, spray deodorant, creams, lotions or oils on the breasts or armpits before attending your appointment.
  • You will be asked to remove your clothes from the waist up before entering the examination room.  It is advisable to wear separates.
  • The mobile units can only be accessed by a staircase.  If this could potentially be unsuitable for you, or if you have any mobility difficulties, please contact the screening office so that your needs can be assessed and met accordingly.
  • Information about breast screening is also available in other languages. Please contact the Screening Office.

 

*NEW Covid19 Information*

Guidance to keep you safe when attending your breast screening appointment 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a major impact on the NHS, including breast screening.  As a result, you may have waited longer than normal for your appointment and we would like to apologise for this.  We recommend that you now attend your next scheduled appointment and want to assure you that we will have a range of measures in place to help protect you from coronavirus.

 Please DO NOT attend an appointment if you or any member of your household are suffering from any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or are self-isolating.  If this applies to you, please contact us so that you can reschedule your appointment for a different time.

 If you are identified as clinically extremely vulnerable and have been shielding, please contact us for further advice before attending your appointment.

 Wearing a face covering

In line with government advice, please wear a face covering to your appointment. This can be a mask you have bought or made, a face covering worn for religious or cultural reasons (as long as they cover the mouth and nose) or a surgical mask you have been given because you are shielding. For guidance on how to wear and make a face mask, visit www.gov.uk and search for 'face covering'.

 

When attending your appointment

We have a range of measures to minimise the risk of COVID-19:

  • social distancing measures will be in place
  • please attend your appointment alone if you can and as close to your appointment time as possible..
  • there will be additional infection control procedures and clinical staff will be wearing personal protective equipment such as face masks
  • your appointment may be at a clinic that is not your usual venue
  • the appointment may take longer than usual.

 

 Upon arrival, you will be checked in at the reception desk, whereby you will be asked a few questions to confirm your contact details, the name of your registered GP and the details of when and where your most recent mammogram was (if applicable). Please bring photo I.D. if possible.

You will be shown to a cubicle and asked to undress from the waist up. You may place a loose top or cardigan etc back over yourself to go into the X-ray room with.

We may ask ladies to tie long hair back before the examination.

Once the Mammographer is ready, she will invite you into the X-ray room directly from the changing cubicle.  We ask that you take any valuables, including handbags, into the room with you.

You will be asked to confirm your personal details again for identification purposes and you can discuss previous or current concerns regarding your breasts.

Any visible scars, blemishes or moles on your breasts will also be recorded to help distinguish their location for the film readers when they come to interpreting your mammograms.

The Mammographer will discuss the procedure with you and will be more than happy to answer any queries you may have about any part of the examination.

Once you have been positioned, the Mammographer will apply the compression and you will be asked to keep as still as possible for a few moments while the X-ray is taken.  Sometimes, you will be given breathing instructions to also help obtain the best possible mammogram.

The Mammographer will routinely perform four X-rays altogether, two pictures on each breast, each from a different angle. If you are large breasted or have breast implants, additional views may be required.

The examination itself takes approximately 5 minutes with the entire visit to the mobile van not taking any longer than 30 minutes.

The Mammographer will check the X-ray images for any obvious technical errors during your mammogram but please be aware that some sub optimal aspects, such as blurring, may not be possible to view on the monitors available on the mobile units.

Mammographers are not qualified to read the mammograms and so will not be able to give any indications of your results on the day.

Once the examination is complete you will be advised of how you will receive your results and then will be able to get dressed and leave the mobile unit.