About the campaign
NHS England’s national breast screening awareness campaign starts from 17 February and runs through to the end of March and beyond. The campaign aims to encourage first time invitees and low participation cohorts to attend their screening appointment when invited by their local programme.
Based on activity from previous campaigns, it is estimated there may be a three to five percent increase in participation across the campaign period and for a short time afterwards.
The core message:
- Taking your bra off at the end of the day feels great.
- And so does getting your breast screening sorted.
- It can detect cancer long before you can even feel it. Or more likely, put your mind at rest.
- So when you're invited, save the date, it could save your life.
- Search NHS breast screening to find out more.
Whilst the campaign is asking women to attend their breast screening appointment when invited, it is likely that women who have previously not attended an appointment, and those aged 71 or over, may contact their local service to request an appointment.
NHS Surrey & Sussex Screening & Immunisation Team has asked that patients are directed to the local breast screening service programme, if the query cannot be answered by practice colleagues: East Sussex, Brighton & Hove, Surrey & North East Hampshire and West Sussex
NHS Breast Screening Awareness Campaign resources
A range of resources to support the breast screening awareness campaign is available to download from the national Campaign Resource Centre. Resources include wording for websites and newsletters; posters for community settings and patient waiting areas; and social media assets.
Sign in with your email and password. It is easy to register if you have not already done so.
Here are some posters to download - simply click on the images. However, a full range is available from the Campaign Resource Centre including editable versions to enable details of local services to be added.
Posters
Information for primary care colleagues
There is no direct action required from primary care in response to this campaign. However, in line with commitments to improve screening uptake and reduce cancer mortality rates, support for the programme and the campaign could include:
- Using promotional material in your practice and online
- Directing patient contacts to the local breast screening programmes, if the query cannot be answered by practice colleagues
- Continuing to make every contact count with eligible patients and encouraging participation in the programme, when invited
- Advising the local screening programme of any reasonable adjustments required for registered patients.
Surrey & North East Hampshire
- Caterham Tesco, Guards Avenue, Coulsdon Road, CR3 5QX
- Ashford Hospital, London Road, TW15 3AA
- Camberley Tesco, The Meadows Car Park, Marshall Road, College Town, GU47 0FD
- Egham Orbit Sports Centre, Vicarage Road, TW20 8NL
- Epsom & Ewell Sainsbury's, Kiln Lane, KT17 1EQ
- Farnham Hospital, Hale Road, GU9 9QL
- Godalming Sainsbury's, Woolsack Way, GU7 1LQ
- Guildford Tesco, Ashenden Road, GU2 7UN
- Haslemere District Hospital, Church Lane, Haslemere, GU27 2BQ
- East Surrey Hospital, Canada Avenue, RH1 5RH
- Walton on Thames XCEL Sports Hub, Waterside Drive, KT12 SJG
- St Peter's Hospital, Guildford Road, Chertsey, KT16 0PZ
- Banstead Clinic, The Horseshoe, Banstead, SM7 2BQ
- Jarvis Breast Centre, Stoughton Road, Guildford, GU1 1LJ
East Sussex, Brighton & Hove
- Park Centre 177 Preston Road, Brighton and Hove, BN1 6AG
- Eastbourne Station car park, Terminus Road, BN21 3QJ
- Conquest Hospital, The Ridge, Hastings, TN37 7RD
- Uckfield Community Hospital, Framfield Road, TN22 5AW
West Sussex
- Littlehampton Tesco, Broad Piece, Wick, BN17 5RA
- Princess Royal Hospital, Lewes Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 4EX
- Horsham Community Hospital, Hurst Road, RH12 2DR
- Tesco Superstore, Hammonds Farm, Jane Murray Way, Burgess Hill, RH15 9QT
Click below for additional resources to support the campaign
Learning disabilities
- Download the NHS breast screening easy guide for people with learning disabilities and others who struggle with written English.
- Direct people who cannot read or do not like written words to the Beyond Words breast screening picture story which includes a suggested storyline for family members, carers or health professionals to refer to.
- Share these breast cancer screening videos for people with learning disabilities – with thanks to West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance. Find them on FutureNHS: Polish, Punjabi, Urdu, British Sign Language
- The NHS breast screening information leaflet for people considering screening is available in a number of accessible formats - simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, French, Gujarati, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian and Urdu.
- In partnership with the Screening and Immunisation team, Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance has co-designed a series of information leaflets in Nepalese for the Nepalese members of our community. Find it on our Translated Cancer Information page
- The Friends, Families and Travellers organisation has worked with the Gypsy and Traveller community to develop a helpful breast cancer screening resource for Gypsies and Travellers
- NHS Sussex has produced leaflets about breast screening and breast cancer available in Bengali, Gujarati, Urdu and French in addition to English. The leaflets feature spokespeople from Black and South Asian communities. Find them on our Translated Cancer Information page
- NHS Sussex has produced screening information for trans and non-binary people
- NHS England also provides an overview of breast screening for trans and non-binary people
- OUTpatients, the UK's LGBTQI+ cancer charity, answers lots of questions about breast screening here: Best for my chest
- CoppaFeel! has a number of resources aimed at trans and non-binary people to raise awareness and understanding