Starting at its hospitals in Cheltenham and Chester, the healthcare charity intends to roll out the technology to Wessex, Cardiff Vale and Oxford hospitals over the summer.
Healthcare charity Nuffield Health will invest in women’s health and breast cancer diagnostics, beginning the rollout of the latest mammography technology. Starting at its hospitals in Cheltenham and Chester, the new technology will enable clinicians to provide faster, more accurate diagnoses while improving comfort and the overall experience for women. Wessex, Cardiff Vale and Oxford hospitals are set to follow over the summer.
The new technology includes 3D screening, which gives a clearer view while using the same low radiation dose as a 2D scan, making it easier to identify concerns and safer for patients. The machines also move around and adapt to the patient for a much more comfortable experience. Several of the new equipment come with a guided biopsy, enabling biopsies to be performed with the aid of 3D images during the mammogram. This reduces the need for additional appointments, easing pressure on wait times and speeding up the process.
“This investment in advanced mammography technology marks a significant step forward in women’s health. By making the screening process more comfortable and less intimidating, we hope to break down barriers that prevent women from attending,” said Kate Liddington, hospital director at Nuffield Health Cheltenham Hospital.
The investment is part of a broader collaboration with GE HealthCare, which will see Nuffield Health invest £200 million in AI-enabled diagnostic imaging technology across its UK hospital network.
The collaboration will also drive investment in staff education.
The most common cancer
Recent research from Censuswide of 2,000 women in Britain found that one in ten women have avoided a breast cancer screening despite finding a lump or breast abnormality.
Anxiety (26%) is the most common reason given, while nearly 15% cited concerns about discomfort during tests.
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in the UK, however, survival rates have doubled over the past 50 years, and 86% women now survive for five years or more. This has been driven by earlier detection, improved diagnostics, and advancements in treatment.
Despite the benefits of early detection, screening coverage has declined since 2019, with only 64.6% of eligible women attending an NHS screening in 2022-23.
“These findings are concerning but, sadly, not surprising. For many women, breast checks can be an out-of-sight, out-of-mind issue. But screening and early diagnosis can make a life-changing difference,” said Claudia Harding-Mackean, consultant breast surgeon from Nuffield Health Chester Hospital.
At the end of May, Nuffield Health and cancer care provider Icon Group expanded their partnership with plans to develop three new cancer centre sites alongside Nuffield Health hospitals in Brighton, Derby, and Warwickshire.
