Mammogram in Glasgow/ west of Scotland/ Lanarkshire/ East Dunbartonshire

[Nightowlcat37]

Hi, my sister( not on mumsnet) is approaching 50 and was wondering if the walk in mammogram vans still exist?
She will travel to any area in the title- she lives in Greater Glasgow.
Are mammograms still offered when you turn 50?
She has no symptoms, just aware of her age and keen to get checked.
Thanks

Info on this at www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/screening/breast-screening/

Not sure if it's different in Scotland but in England there have never been walk in mammogram vans, it's appointment only, and you will be invited between 50 and 52 depending on your GP. You can ring your local breast unit to ask when you'll be invited.

In Wiltshire you have mammograms until you're 70. I've just had one at 63.
You need an appointment, but ours are in a van. It's parked behind the GP surgery.
Ask your surgery how you go about making an appointment.

I have received a letter ( at 50 and 55) inviting me for a mammogram and yes, it's in a big van in a car park. That's in Lanarkshire.

It's the same in Scotland - at least it has been for me. I'm in my 60s.

I'm 51 and haven't been invited for one yet. I'm in north lanarkshire

It's in a (I think) 3yr period from your 50th year depending on your postcode so I didn't get called until 52.

My appointment was at the screening centre in Nelson Mandela Place and come to think of it, I haven't seen a mobile unit for ages.

Yes the mammogram vans still exist (they're often in supermarket car parks) but they're not walk in. You get sent an appointment after age 50 when they're in your area and then every 5 years

Sorry I think it's 3 yearly not 5!

This info and that link above is really useful- thanks. Always thought the vans were walk in but would make sense that it’s by appointment.

She’ll be invited as standard when they are inviting her area, so I would ring and find out when that will be, but I would wait til the invite

In England they go by your GP, as in they take turns. With my birthdate where it was I just missed one so was literally 53 when I received an appointment for it in one of the vans..........Nice birthday treat🤦‍♀️

When I was in my 20s, I saw the van parked in a local car park. "Oh," I thought, "might as well get checked out."

Went in. Explained. They looked at me as if I were mad and explained that I was a wee bit early...

I live in East Dunbartonshire and was sent an appointment in the post for my first mammogram, I turned 50 in the May and it was for the following February, it just depends when in the year your appointment falls.

I was asked to attend the main breast screening unit in the middle of Glasgow, just off George Square. I think the vans are really only a thing in more rural areas.

In Stirling it's still the mobile van but it's parked in the hospital car park now rather than in Morrisons. Think I was between 51 and 52 when I got my first appointment.

I am in East Ayrshire and I got my first invite at 52, second a few months ago at 55.

I am in a large town and the staff on the van said they come to our area for 6-7 weeks each time as they have such a large patient list.

I assume you will be waiting to reach both the eligible age and, if your area is served by a van, the van to be in your area.

Don’t know about the van but you are invited at 50+ to the Gartnaval. The equipment all knew and it’s not uncomfortable. Ask GP.

You won't be sent an invite until the van is next in your area- which means if you've just missed one you might be almost 53 before that happens as they come to each area every 3 years. However if you are happy to travel you should be able to book directly to go to the main centre as soon as you are 50- just google breast screening and your healthboard to get the phone number. In Ayrshire that would be at Irvine Central for example, but the vans only come out to the towns on a 3 yearly pattern.