The North and East Devon Breast Screening Service has launched a new expandable mobile breast screening unit which will provide breast screening to eligible people in North and East Devon.

Breast screening can be lifesaving, yet data from 2023/24 shows that over a quarter of eligible people in Devon are not up to date with their regular mammograms. To help improve some of the barriers to accessing breast screening, a new bespoke mobile breast screening unit has been created.

With an aim to improve the accessibility and uptake of breast screening, the needs of patients and staff were at the forefront throughout the design stages, and in a UK first, the unit was designed with an expandable footprint to allow for more space when required. In addition, it is situated at ground level which improves accessibility and boosts ambient lighting and virtual LED windows to improve patient comfort during the screening process.

In North and East Devon, the breast screening service is delivered in the community by utilising two mobile units alongside a static unit located in Exeter. One of the mobile units, MA01, has been in continuous use since it was implemented in 2006, screening eligible people in 18 locations across Devon. In 2024 the decision was made to replace the MA01 unit with the aim of improving the service being offered to patients.

The new unit, called MA11, was launched in April and was officially opened by Olympian Jo Pavey. Jo cut the ribbon and had a tour of the unit before it officially commenced service by welcoming its first patient. The first patient to be screened on 1 April was Sharron Bayles who worked as a dedicated member of the breast screening service since 1994 and as a former Programme Manager, played a key role in shaping the service before retiring in 2022.

Sharron was screened by Karen Wittenburg and Claire Clarke, who were among the first clinicians to work on MA01 back in 2006, as well as Superintendent Radiographer Charlotte Vertenten, who contributed to the design and delivery of MA11, working alongside the contracted provider, InHealth.

The new unit is currently situated in Exmouth before it will move to Tiverton during the summer.

Improvements such as this will help to deliver cutting-edge, accessible and high-quality breast screening across North and East Devon, working alongside the NHS’ first ever awareness campaign to highlight the benefits of breast screening. Find out more about the campaign by visiting the NHS England South West website.