Covering: Gateshead, Sunderland, South Tyneside, Durham and Chester-le-Street One woman’s journey through breast screening Meet Allison Allison is one of the women invited every three years for free breast screening from the age of 47. 2 Gateshead Breast Screening Programme One woman’s journey through breast screening Step 1 An invitation to breast screening A letter arrives at Allison’s home from the Breast Screening Unit. It gives Allison the date, time and venue of her appointment. Allison can’t make the date of her appointment so phones and easily re-arranges the date. She can also use this number if she has any questions. Gateshead Breast Screening Programme One woman’s journey through breast screening 3 Step 2 Arriving at the screening unit On arrival Allison meets the receptionist who takes her health questionnaire and checks her personal details. All the staff Allison will meet during her screening visit are women. 4 Gateshead Breast Screening Programme One woman’s journey through breast screening Step 3 Getting ready for the mammogram A mammographer (lady who takes the breast x-rays) shows Allison to a changing cubicle. Allison takes off her top and bra then puts her cardigan back on. Gateshead Breast Screening Programme One woman’s journey through breast screening 5 Step 4 Getting ready for the mammogram The mammographer invites Allison into the x-ray room through an adjoining door. The mammographer explains how the breast x-rays will be taken. 6 Gateshead Breast Screening Programme One woman’s journey through breast screening Step 5 Having the breast x-ray Allison is positioned into the x-ray machine. It feels a bit uncomfortable because the breast is gently squeezed for a couple of seconds, this is to help get a good picture. Both the breasts are x-rayed. Allison then gets dressed and leaves. Gateshead Breast Screening Programme One woman’s journey through breast screening 7 Step 6 The results process Two specialist film readers check the x-rays to look for areas of concern in the breast tissue. Once the results are agreed a letter is posted to Allison. 8 Gateshead Breast Screening Programme One woman’s journey through breast screening Step 7 Results by post Allison receives her breast screening results in writing within three weeks. Her results are normal, so Allison is invited to return in three years. Gateshead Breast Screening Programme One woman’s journey through breast screening 9 Where will you A19 be screened? A1058 A69 South Shields A167 Newcastle 2 Upon Tyne Jarrow 3 Heburn 1 Blaydon Gateshead Boldon Colliery Felling Whickham Sheriff Hill A692 4 A19 Team Valley A101 Trading Estate A194(M) Sunnyside Chopwell Rowlands Low Fell Springwell Gill A1 Washington A1231 Sunderland Birtley 5 Ouston A1(M) A690 A693 North Lodge Doxford Stanley Park Consett A693 Chester-le-Street A19 Burdon A690 6 A167 Houghton-le-Spring A691 Hetton-le-hole Lanchester Wheatley A167 A691 A690 South Hetton Framwellgate A1(M) Pittington Moor A68 7 Durham Sherburn Esh Village Winning A1(M) Brandon A167 Wheatley Hill For further information on any of the venues Bowburn Wi please contact us on: Crook A68 Willington Cornforth Trimdon Spennymoor A167 F hill 10 Gateshead Breast Screening Programme One woman’s journey through breast screening 1 Blaydon Blaydon Primary Care Centre Breast Screening Department Shildon Road Blaydon NE21 5NW 2 Jarrow Palmer Community Hospital Marsden Mobile Breast Screening Unit Wear Street Jarrow NE32 3UX 3 18 Seaburn South Shields Cleadon Park Primary Care Centre Breast Screening Department Acacia Grove, King George Road d South Shields NE34 8PP 4 Gateshead Queen Elizabeth Hospital Breast Screening Unit A1018 Sheriff Hill n Gateshead NE9 6SX Seaham 5 Sunderland Sunderland Royal Hospital Breast Screening Centre Chester Road entrance Sunderland SR4 7TU A19 Easington 6 Chester-le-Street Chester-le-Street Hospital Mobile Breast Screening Unit Peterlee Front Street Chester-le-Street DH3 3AT Shotton ingate 7 Durham A19 Durham Area Crimdon Mobile Breast Screening Unit Nesbitt Park For current venue contact A179 A179 0191 445 2554 A19 Gateshead Breast Screening Programme One woman’s journey through breast screening 11 Acknowledgements We would like to thank all the staff at the Gateshead Breast Screening Programme, the Women’s Cancer Detection Society (WCDS) who funded this project, our volunteers who freely gave their time and Route 26 women’s group. If you have any questions contact Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sheriff Hill, Gateshead NE9 6SX Publication date: June 2011.