New Mobile Breast Screening Unit Officially Opened by Captain Andrew Bray, Captain BRNC
January 16, 2024 @ 08:00 - January 16, 2025 @ 00:00
Date: 16JAN24
Author: BRNC Public Relations Office
Captain Andrew Bray of Britannia Royal Naval College and Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust chairman Sir Richard Ibbotson alongside Dr Katie Giles, the screening programme director formally opened a new mobile breast screening unit at the Health and Wellbeing Centre in Dartmouth.
The new £240,000 mobile breast screening unit funded by NHS England will replace the one purchased by the Torbay Hospital League of Friends back in 2011. The unit has been created to help meet the NHS target of all eligible women being invited for screenings every three years. Since December 2023, the new unit has already screened over 900 women. Early diagnosis matters and detecting breast cancer in the initial stages enables the best chance of recovery. The new mobile unit will cover Torbay and South Devon operating over nine sites offering an invaluable service to woman in identifying and tackling breast cancer. Dr Katies Giles said “Screening mammograms help us to detect breast cancer at a very early opportunity, most commonly before a breast lump is even felt. Early diagnosis means earlier treatment, better outcomes, and improved survival rates for patients. In the last screening year alone, the Torbay and South Devon Screening programme have diagnosed 112 breast cancers.”
Before cutting the ribbon, Captain Bray said “I am delighted to be opening this fantastic facility. Britannia Royal Naval College has always enjoyed a close relationship with the local community and the wider Torbay ad South Devon NHS Trust, who provide excellent care to all the military families who live and work in this area. The link between the military and our amazing health services is an important one and it is my pleasure to be celebrating that relationship here today.”
The ribbon cutting event was supported by the Concert Band of Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, who kindly volunteered to play for all who attended.
Image: Dr Katie Giles, Screening Programme Director, Liz Davenport, Chief Executive Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Captain Andrew Bray, Captain Britannia Royal Naval College, Sir Richard Ibbotson, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Chairman, Kevin Foster, Conservative MP for Torbay.