20/02/2026
On BBC Breakfast this morning, the importance of attending your first breast screening appointment was highlighted, we want to echo one clear message: early detection saves lives.
When that first screening letter arrives, taking up the appointment could make all the difference.
But attendance is only part of the picture.
We’re also focused on strengthening the system behind the scenes. Screening only works if there are enough highly trained specialists available to deliver it.
That’s why we helped fund the National Breast Imaging Academy, a pioneering building to tackle the UK’s breast imaging workforce shortage.
By investing in the next generation of breast radiologists and advanced practitioners, we are:
• Expanding capacity
• Reducing pressure on services
• Supporting earlier diagnosis
• Protecting the future of breast screening
There’s also brilliant work happening across Greater Manchester. NHS cancer screening improvement leads and the Prevent Health Inequalities team are working hard to raise awareness and break down barriers that stop people coming forward. But if we want to see real, consistent improvements in screening uptake across the UK, that work needs proper, long-term funding behind it.
Encouraging people to attend their screening is vital.
But we must also ensure the workforce is there to see them.
