Lincoln MP, Karl, has welcomed the positive news that women in Lincoln and across Lincolnshire will benefit from better diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer thanks to government investment.
Lincoln County Hospital will receive a new breast screening unit and an upgrade to remote access support after the government pledged an additional £10 million to provide 29 new NHS mobile breast cancer screening units and nearly 70 life-saving upgrades to services in areas where they are most needed.
These new units and service upgrades will allow more women to be screened earlier, improving patient outcomes. Screening will focus on areas where it is most needed, tackling health disparities and improving diagnosis rates.
This investment will also help deliver a more accessible NHS where patients receive care close to home.
Karl, who always Puts Lincoln First, said: “This investment is very welcome news and shows the Conservative Government’s commitment to improving women’s health here in Lincoln and across the County. This is one of many recent investments by the Conservative Government into the hospital which as the Member of Parliament is something that I will always continue to campaign for.”
Health Minister Helen Whately, said: “A cancer diagnosis can be terrifying but it is vital that this cruel disease is detected as soon as possible and then treated.
“It is also important that women across the County can access high-quality healthcare wherever they live and this investment helps deliver that.
“These units at Lincoln County Hospital mean more targeted services are available locally ensuring we have the best chance at detecting and treating breast cancer across Lincoln and Lincolnshire as a whole.”
The funding is now in place for NHS trusts to spend within the 2022/23 financial year and the timing for delivery of units will be individual to each trust.
The commitment to provide additional breast screening units was made in the Women’s Health Strategy published in July 2022 which is designed to improve equality of healthcare.
The government has also committed to improving diagnosis, treatment and survival rates as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. By 2028, the government has committed to 75% of people with cancer being diagnosed at stages 1 and 2, up from 55% and for 55,000 more people each year to survive their cancer for at least five years after diagnosis.
Each year more than two million women have breast cancer screening in the UK. Screening saves around 1,300 women every year with around 21,000 cancers detected. This investment in breast screening units will continue to increase capacity to detect and deliver life-saving treatment.
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