Breast Screening Unit
The Chelmsford & Colchester Breast Screening service operates out of two static units, one at Essex County Hospital in Colchester and the other at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford. The service is responsible for providing high quality mammography (breast x-ray) for an eligible population of approximately 104,000 women across north and mid Essex as part of the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme. The age range invited is currently 50 - 70 , we expect to implement age extension and include women aged 47 - 73 by September 2012. Women are invited to attend for screening every three years.
Screening is carried out at Essex County and Broomfield and also on two mobiles which travel to nine different sites throughout the county, to enable women to be screened as near as possible to where they live. Full Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) equipment has recently been installed at Essex County, Broomfield and one of the mobile vans and we expect to be fully digital by the end of the year.
The centres are staffed by a multidisciplinary team of dedicated professionals, including radiologists (doctors who specialise in radiological procedures and film reading), radiographers, assistants and office personnel. Mobile units are staffed by members of the radiographic team in rotation.
When the time comes for you to be called for screening, you will receive a specific appointment telling you when and where to attend. Symptomatic mammography is performed at Essex County by the same radiographic team on different days of the week.
The 'Dr Foster' website lists essential information on a range of health services at Colchester General Hospital, including details about waiting lists and the doctors that might be treating you. (Opens in a new window.)
To find out more about this patient service you can contact PALS.
These pages are written by Monica Dale, Breast Screening Manager and were last updated in March 2012.
