A local councillor is campaigning for a breast screening service to be reinstated in Warminster.
A mobile screening unit was previously based in Morrisons car park, but the service was recently withdrawn from the town. Residents now have to travel to nearby towns such as Westbury and Amesbury for their appointments, which are offered to women aged 50 to 70 for routine breast cancer screening.
Cllr Liz Lee has raised concerns that limited access to services may cause women in Warminster to miss vital appointments and therefore diagnoses. An estimated 2,500 to 3,000 women in the Warminster area qualify for the screening.
The Wiltshire Breast Screening Service said the unit was removed due to antisocial behaviour, including people banging on the side of the van during treatment sessions.
Cllr Lee said, “I am particularly concerned that the change will reduce screening uptake, especially among women with limited mobility or without easy transport. We know delays in diagnosis may lead to cancers being found at later stages, leading to increased costs for the NHS and worse outcomes for patients.”
She raised the issue at the Full Council meeting on 29th September, telling fellow councillors there had been much public concern, particularly about the cost and inconvenience of travelling to Westbury for those without private vehicles.
Fight all the way
She is calling for the service to be reinstated “sooner rather than later.”
“Whatever happens, I’m going to fight it all the way,” she said. “I just feel that we as a council cannot let this go. We have got to do something about it.”
She has outlined several steps she would like to see taken, including petitioning the Wiltshire Breast Screening Service to return the mobile unit to Warminster and to allow women in surrounding villages to choose appointments locally.
Cllr Lee has also suggested supporting Warminster School’s offer to host the unit by helping to fund a new 3-phase electric point, and asking Wiltshire Council to extend transport links through the Wiltshire Connect service to help women reach appointments in Westbury in the meantime.
Cllr Bill Parks said, “Clearly this is a service that should remain in Warminster. I am absolutely behind this. I think it’s so important for we as a council to voice our concerns.”
Cllr Lee received strong backing from fellow councillors at the Full Council meeting, including Warminster mayor, Cllr Andrew Cooper, who described the issue as “incredibly important” and thanked her for raising it.
