Claire Rowney, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said:
“It’s deeply concerning that thousands of people were not invited to vital cancer screening that detects the disease at its earliest possible stage when there’s the best chance of survival.
“Tragically, some people died from a cancer who should have been invited to screening. This news will be greatly upsetting for their loved ones. And those being told they missed out on screening may be feeling huge anxiety.
“We must be able to rely on the systems in place to help us look after our health. As such it’s vital that the government and NHS England take swift action to address the underlying issues in the way GP records are used to identify people who are eligible for screening, to prevent this devastating failure from occurring again.
“We encourage those impacted to follow the guidance in their NHS letter and they can contact the dedicated NHS helpline with any questions or concerns.
“We also understand that women now being invited into breast screening may feel unsettled, and our expert nurses on our helpline, on 0808 800 6000, are here to listen. Breast screening saves lives from breast cancer, and we encourage everyone who is eligible for screening to attend.
“Women should receive their first invite to breast screening once they’re aged 50 and by the time they’re 53. Anyone worried they haven’t been invited to breast screening when they should have, or with questions about their eligibility for screening should contact their GP.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
Statement made by Ashley Dalton, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention, Labour - on NHS Screening and GP Registrations - Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament