Increasing the uptake of breast screening appointments in Yorkshire

Breast cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in Yorkshire, causing more than 800 deaths per year in the region. Breast screening is one of the key tools to help diagnose breast cancer at an early stage and improve survival rates. Across Yorkshire, in the three years up to 2019/20 an average of 28.6% of invited women had not attended their appointment.  Among the non-attenders, a major reason was the difficulty in travelling to the appointment. 

This study will assess whether offering free, bookable, door to door transport to and from breast cancer screening appointments could increase the number of women attending screening, by comparing two groups. 

Women registered at GPs in Group One will receive information about booking free transport alongside their breast screening invitation. Women registered at GPs in Group Two will receive the breast screening invitation as normal with no additional offer of transport. 

Permission to use data collected by the Breast Screening Service on women invited for a breast screening appointment will be obtained.

The study expects that providing free transport will increase the overall screening rates, resulting in earlier breast cancer diagnosis and improved survival rates. The findings from this study will inform a larger study.