Agenda item
Breast Cancer Screening Assurance
Recommendations:
1. Note the significant decline in breast cancer screening in Tower Hamlets over the past year
2. Seek assurance from NHS England (London) that it is taking the necessary measure to reverse the decline in uptake of breast cancer screening in the local population e.g. by providing evidence-based outreach and primary care endorsement services such as those it funds in Newham.
3. Continue to monitor progress on breast cancer screening uptake through 15/16 (via the Health and Wellbeing Board Executive Officers Group)
Lead Officer: Somen Banerjee, (Interim Director Public Health, LBTH)
Minutes:
Somen Banajee, Interim Director, Public Health, introduced the report that detailed and highlighted a particular area of concern around breast cancer screening where there has been a decline of 6.5% in breast cancer screening coverage over one year.
Mr Banajee provided some background to the breast cancer screening programme and coverage. He also provided data released by Public Health England in November 2014 showing a sharp reduction in breast screening coverage in Tower Hamlets (67.8% to 61.5%) in the year following transfer of responsibility and budget for screening to NHS England (April 2013 to March 2014). The downward trend appeared to be continuing and showed a consistent decline in coverage rates since 2013/2014.
In summer 2013, NHS England acknowledged numerous concerns over the quality of service delivery at Central & East London Breast Screening Service (CELBSS).
Following a management team meeting to discuss the service and find ways to address the areas of concern, a number of actions were put in place which yielded significant improvements in the quality of service provided.
Concerns identified by Tower Hamlets Public Health however included a lack of outreach service to increase screening uptake in Tower Hamlets.
It was noted that in July 2013 the commissioner reported serious concerns in the performance of the breast screening provider, CELBSS. It was expected that the “slowing” of the breast screening service (as part of the package of measures to manage performance) would impact on screening coverage. However, the decline seen in breast screening coverage in Tower Hamlets in 2013/4 had not occurred in the neighbouring boroughs of Newham, Hackney or Waltham Forest also served by CELBSS.
During 2013/4, NHSE London continued to commission Community Links (a local voluntary sector organisation) to provide an outreach and “calling” service in Newham, to telephone women from GP practices and provide endorsement and support to attend screening appointments. There was evidence of the impact of this model on increasing the uptake of screening in Tower Hamlets, however no similar service was provided in Tower Hamlets despite the transfer of funds to enable this.
The team of 4 cancer screening facilitators in Tower Hamlets was decommissioned by NHS England in April 2014.
In discussion, Members expressed disappointment in the decline in breast cancer screening in Tower Hamlets. They considered that the integration of services across healthcare (breast screening, health checks, referrals by GP services), social care (assessments and reviews of care needs) and public health was essential in efforts to reverse the decline of breast cancer screening.
RESOLVED -
1. That the significant decline in breast cancer screening in Tower Hamlets over the past year be noted;
2. That assurance be sought from NHS England (London) that it was taking the necessary measure to reverse the decline in uptake of breast cancer screening in the local population e.g. by providing evidence-based outreach and primary care endorsement services such as those it funds in Newham.
3. That the monitoring of the progress on breast cancer screening uptake through 15/16 (via the Health and Wellbeing Board Executive Officers Group) be continued.
Action By: Dr Somen Banerjee (Interim Director of Public Health, LBTH)
Dr Somen Banerjee, Interim Director, Public Health, introduced the report that detailed and highlighted a particular area of concern around breast cancer screening where there has been a decline of 6.5% in breast cancer screening coverage over one year.
Dr Banerjee provided some background to the breast cancer screening programme and coverage. He also provided data released by Public Health England in November 2014 showing a sharp reduction in breast screening coverage in Tower Hamlets (67.8% to 61.5%) in the year following transfer of responsibility and budget for screening to NHS England (April 2013 to March 2014). The downward trend appeared to be continuing and showed a consistent decline in coverage rates since 2013/2014.
In summer 2013, NHS England acknowledged numerous concerns over the quality of service delivery at Central & East London Breast Screening Service (CELBSS). Following a management team meeting to discuss the service and find ways to address the areas of concern, a number of actions were put in place which yielded significant improvements in the quality of service provided.
Concerns identified by Tower Hamlets Public Health however included a lack of outreach service to increase screening uptake in Tower Hamlets.
It was noted that in July 2013 the commissioner reported serious concerns in the performance of the breast screening provider, CELBSS. It was expected that the “slowing” of the breast screening service (as part of the package of measures to manage performance) would impact on screening coverage. However, the decline seen in breast screening coverage in Tower Hamlets in 2013/4 had not occurred in the neighbouring boroughs of Newham, Hackney or Waltham Forest also served by CELBSS.
During 2013/4, NHSE London continued to commission Community Links (a local voluntary sector organisation) to provide an outreach and “calling” service in Newham, to telephone women from GP practices and provide endorsement and support to attend screening appointments. There was evidence of the impact of this model on increasing the uptake of screening in Tower Hamlets, however no similar service was provided in Tower Hamlets despite the transfer of funds to enable this.
The team of 4 cancer screening facilitators in Tower Hamlets was decommissioned by NHS England in April 2014.
In discussion, Members expressed disappointment in the decline in breast cancer screening in Tower Hamlets. They considered that the integration of services across healthcare (breast screening, health checks, and referrals by GP services), social care (assessments and reviews of care needs) and public health was essential in efforts to reverse the decline of breast cancer screening.
RESOLVED -
4. That the significant decline in breast cancer screening in Tower Hamlets over the past year be noted;
5. That assurance be sought from NHS England (London) that it was taking the necessary measure to reverse the decline in uptake of breast cancer screening in the local population e.g. by providing evidence-based outreach and primary care endorsement services such as those it funds in Newham.
6. That the monitoring of the progress on breast cancer screening uptake through 15/16 (via the Health and Wellbeing Board Executive Officers Group) be continued.
Action By: Dr Somen Banerjee (Interim Director of Public Health, LBTH)
Supporting documents: