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Urgent action is needed to improve breast cancer screening uptake across Wales, a Reform Senedd Member has said.

South Wales East MS Laura Anne Jones has written to health secretary Jeremy Miles following a Senedd debate on the issue.

Last week, a petition signed by more than 4,000 people was debated by the Senedd’s petitions committee – thrusting Wales’ breast cancer screening programme into the spotlight amid low take-up and “massive” disparities across the country.

The Senedd’s petitions committee heard only 69% of women invited for screening attended their appointment in 2022/23, below a 70% minimum standard and an 80% target.

The petitioners wrote: “If the 80% target was met, 15,871 more women would have been screened and an estimated 154 more breast cancers detected.”

Breast Cancer Now, which organised the petition, pointed to latest uptake data for the UK – showing England at 70%, Northern Ireland at 74% and Scotland at 75%.

Ms Jones said: “To think that nearly 16,000 women have not been screened, and that over 150 of those could have had early signs of cancer identified, is simply not good enough.

“Women in my region contacted me about this petition, and I am glad I could raise these concerns directly in the Senedd on their behalf.

“The Welsh Government must do far more to ensure that women understand just how important early detection is. Early detection saves lives.”

Ms Jones, who joined Reform last summer after defecting from the Conservatives, called on the Welsh Government to launch “a clear and effective TV and social media awareness campaign” on the issue and to “take responsibility for improving uptake”.

She added: “The Welsh Government also needs to ask itself why take up has been so much better in other parts of UK, and learn lessons from that.”

“I urge all women to take up the offer of breast screening. It could literally save your life.”

‘Alarming statistic’

During the Petitions Committee meeting on January 12, Caerphilly’s Plaid Cymru MS Lindsay Whittle described the uptake figures as “certainly the most alarming statistic I have read in possibly the past 35-40 years I’ve been involved in politics”.

He continued: “To think that 15,000 women are walking around Wales not being screened and 154 of those women probably have early signs of breast cancer is alarming.

“And we have to send out a 999 message to women in all corners of Wales: please use this facility, it is absolutely vital. If this facility was taken away, we would probably have demonstrators outside this building – and rightly so.”

Labour MS Carolyn Thomas, chair of the petitions committee, said early detection could save the NHS as much as £100m.

A Public Health Wales report showed significant disparities, with uptake ranging from more than 70% in Carmarthenshire to 40% on Anglesey in 2021/22.

In an earlier letter to the committee, Health secretary Mr Miles said uptake rates can vary across regions, age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds.

He wrote: “The reasons women choose not to take up the offer are complex. Factors may include lack of awareness, fear or anxiety about the screening process and results, cultural and language barriers, access issues, and the impact of misinformation.

“We are committed to maximising breast screening uptake across all communities, recognising its vital role in early cancer detection and improved outcomes.”