Frequently asked questions about breast screening
Screening invitation
Yes.
Call us on 023 8120 4959 to change the date, time or location of your screening appointment. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm. You can also email us at BSUappts@uhs.nhs.uk.
Yes.
Call us on 023 8120 4959 to change the date, time or location of your screening appointment. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm. You can also email us at BSUappts@uhs.nhs.uk.
We would encourage all women invited for screening to attend their appointment, but it is your choice whether to have breast screening or not. If you would prefer not to attend please call us on 023 8120 4959 or email us at as soon as possible so we can offer the appointment to someone else.
If you change your mind at any point in future please contact us. We would be happy to arrange another appointment for you.
If your last mammogram was more than six months ago, you can attend your breast screening appointment. If you decide not to come for your screening appointment it may mean waiting over three years for your next mammogram. If you are currently under care for breast cancer, please contact us on 023 8120 4959.
If you have notified your current or new GP practice of your new address you will still receive your invitation for screening.
If you have moved house but are concerned that you may have missed a screening appointment, please contact us on 023 8120 4959 or email BSUappts@uhs.nhs.uk.
Please contact us on 023 8120 4959 or email BSUappts@uhs.nhs.uk to book a new appointment. Please bear in mind that the appointment locations available at the time of rebooking may be different to the location in your original invitation letter.
Our screening locations change throughout the year to make sure our appointments are as accessible as possible to women throughout the Southampton and Salisbury area. If the location you have been invited to attend is not convenient, please contact us on 023 8120 4959 or email BSUappts@uhs.nhs.uk.
You will be asked to undress completely down to your waist in a private changing area. You may find it easier to wear separates rather than a dress. You may also wish to bring a shawl or cardigan to cover your upper body while you wait in the private changing area to be seen.
You will automatically get your first invite for breast screening between the ages of 50 and 53. Then you’ll be invited every 3 years until you turn 71. The timing of your first invitation for breast screening depends on when we are screening women registered at your GP practice. If you have not been invited for breast screening by the time you are 53 and think you should have been, please contact us on 023 8120 4959.
Yes.
You will not be automatically invited for breast screening if you are 71 or over, but you can still have breast screening every 3 years if you would like to. Please contact us on 023 8120 4959 or email BSUappts@uhs.nhs.uk to book an appointment.
Breast screening is offered every 3 years to eligible women, but occasionally changes to the screening plan mean some women are invited for breast screening slightly sooner than 3 years after their last mammogram.
If you believe it has been more than 3 years since your last mammogram, please contact us on 023 8120 4959 or email BSUappts@uhs.nhs.uk.
Symptoms
If you have a breast lump or any other breast symptoms please contact your GP without delay. Your GP may organise a referral to the symptomatic breast service at your local hospital.
Do not wait for your next breast screening appointment.
See your GP without delay, even if you have had a recent mammogram.
Do not wait for your next breast screening appointment.
Breast changes can occur at any time and should be investigated promptly.
Family history
If you are concerned that you are more at risk of breast cancer because of your family history, you should discuss this with your GP. Your GP can advise you further and may refer you to a family history clinic at your local hospital. They will assess your risk and arrange extra screening if needed.
At the screening appointment
A mammogram is an x-ray of your breasts. Mammograms are used to look for cancers in the breast that are too small to see or feel. A female mammographer will position one breast at a time between two special flat plates on the x-ray machine. The plates press your breast firmly between them for a few seconds and the x-ray is taken. The compression only lasts a few seconds and does not cause any harm to the breasts. Compression is needed to keep the breast still and to get the clearest picture with the lowest amount of radiation possible.
- On arrival at your appointment, you will be asked to confirm your personal details.
- You will be asked to wait in a waiting room until the radiographer calls you in.
- The radiographer will be show you into a private changing area. You will need to undress from the waist upwards.
- The radiographer will take 2 mammograms of each breast.
- You will be shown back into the private changing room to get dressed.
- Your appointment is complete and you will receive the results within 2to 3 weeks following the appointment.
Any x-ray involves radiation but mammograms only require a very low dose. The risk that such a low dose could cause a cancer is far outweighed by the benefits of early detection of breast cancer. More information on the benefits and risks of breast screening is available on the GOV.UK website.
During the mammogram you will feel a little pressure on your breasts and it is likely to be uncomfortable. Some women find it painful, but it is over quickly. Any discomfort or pain usually only lasts as long as the mammogram.
Your appointment duration is 6 minutes, however your whole visit to the screening unit can take about 30 minutes depending upon how busy it is.
Yes. However, please be aware that there is limited space on our mobile screening unit the person accompanying you to your appointment may be asked to wait outside of the unit. Men are not permitted on mobile units.
Depending on your needs, we can offer you an appointment at Princess Anne Hospital, which is fully wheelchair accessible with longer appointments available if required. Please contact the breast screening unit on 023 8120 4959 to discuss your appointment or email BSUappts@uhs.nhs.uk. Find out more here.
Yes. If you have implants, the mammographer will use a different technique to take images of your breasts. There is no evidence to suggest breast implants are damaged by mammograms. If you have implants and have been given an appointment, please contact the breast screening unit on 023 8120 4959 or email BSUappts@uhs.nhs.uk.
Yes. It is safe for you to have a mammogram. Please inform the mammographer of the site of your pacemaker.
Your mammogram will always be performed by a female mammographer.
Your results will be sent to your home address 2 to 3 weeks after your mammogram.