Breast cancer screenings missed by 1.5MILLION women last year

Official figures reveal that more than 1.5million women in England missed their latest breast cancer screening appointment and are now overdue a test. According to the BBC uptake of the screening programme for 2018/19 was just 71.1 per cent, meaning more than a quarter of women did not turn up which is a slight improvement on the previous year - and saw uptake at an all-time low of 70.5 per cent. But is far short of the 80 per cent 'achievable' level NHS bosses are aiming for. All women aged 50 to 70 are invited for screening every three years - and in some parts of the country the tests start at an earlier age and extend beyond 70. Although some women who miss their test go in subsequent years, the new statistics show 25.4 per cent of women have gone more than three years without a mammogram and are now overdue a test.