Breast screening services will this year return to the East Coast towns of Bicheno and St Marys as part of maximising access to services in rural and regional areas.
In 2013 the former Labor-Green Government cut the number of East Coast screening sites to just Swansea and St Helens, removing St Marys and Bicheno from the schedule.
The Hodgman Liberal Government has taken on board the ongoing concerns of these communities, which have both argued strongly to be included on the 2015 schedule for the Mobile Screening Unit.
As a result the 2015 schedule for the East Coast has been revised as follows:
• Swansea: Monday 13 April – Friday 17 April
• Bicheno: Monday 20 April – Friday 24 April
• St Helens: Monday 11 May – Tuesday 26 May
• St Marys: Wednesday 27 – Friday 29 May
Local residents will be consulted during this year’s visits to help work out where best to locate the Mobile Screening Unit for the benefit of all Tasmanians in future years.
The Government is also investing in an additional Mobile Screening Unit which is expected to come into operation next year, primarily to offer screening services in the North West.
This investment will mean an additional 9,000 appointments over four years.
Breast screening can save lives by detecting breast cancer early so it is vitally important that we work with the communities across the state to find the best ways to improve access to screening services.
Michael Ferguson, Minister for Health
