Nuffield Health improves breast screening service for UK women

The UK’s-largest not-for-profit healthcare provider, Nuffield Health, has, as part of its wider investment programme, improved its breast screening service with a technology refresh which includes six systems from Siemens Healthineers.

The MAMMOMAT Inspiration mammography systems are in action at a range of Nuffield Health sites including Woking, Derby, Leicester, Oxford, Cardiff and Hereford.

Research shows that one life is saved for every 200 women that are screened. Therefore, Nuffield Health puts a strong focus on making it an experience that women feel comfortable with to reduce anxiety and encourage appointment uptake.

Sue Oliver, professional head of mammography and laser safety at Nuffield Health, said: “Going for a breast screening test can be a daunting experience. The patient is at the heart of everything we do. Therefore, we endeavour to make it as much of a comfortable experience as possible.

“The MAMMOMAT Inspirations have had a significant impact on the way we screen patients as the design ensures maximum patient comfort. Some of the Nuffield Health hospitals have also opted for mood lighting on the systems, which has helped patients to relax during appointments and put their mind at ease.”

The MAMMOMAT Inspiration systems feature Opdose technology, which automatically selects the best possible anode/filter combination and the optimum dose for the individual breast characteristics.

The Nuffield Health hospitals have also benefitted from workflow efficiencies following the switch from analogue to digital systems, along with a rapid turnaround time between patients due to instant image acquisition. The systems are True 3D Breast Tomosynthesis ready, the industry’s widest angle of 50° for enhanced diagnostic capabilities that significantly improves the early detection rate of breast cancer.

Glenda Bwema, hospital radiology manager at Nuffield Health Derby Hospital, said: “The key benefit of the MAMMOMAT Inspiration for staff at Nuffield Health is that images can be seen straight away, helping to streamline workflow and improve patient throughput. Our consultant radiologists find the image quality is fantastic and tailored to their requirements. The staff commented on the ease of use and how the compression paddles are very easy to fit, which has been useful for when we have an influx of patients.”

And Vince Golledge, head of corporate sales at Siemens Healthineers, added: “Breast screening is essential for identifying the early stages of breast cancer, which, if caught early, is easier to treat.

“According to Cancer Research, breast screenings reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer by around 1,300 a year in the UK. Nuffield Health is dedicated in providing the best breast screening service to its patients and the MAMMOMAT Inspiration systems are helping to facilitate this by producing high-quality images in a comfortable environment for the patient.”