First-time NHS breast screening attendance has reached a 10-year high, according to newly released NHS data. In 2024/25, 63.6% of women invited for screening for the first time attended, marking the highest level in a decade.
Nearly 5 million eligible women are now up to date with screening under the NHS Breast Screening Programme. Almost 2 million women aged 50 to 70 attended screening within six months of invitation last year, an increase of nearly 200,000 from the previous year. This led to the detection of nearly 20,000 cancers, with nine cases found per 1,000 women screened - a 16% increase in detection from the prior year.
Despite the rise, three in 10 eligible women did not take up the screening offer. Dr. Harrison Carter, director of screening at NHS England, stated, "Breast screening can save lives. It’s encouraging to see more women attending, especially those invited for the first time. But we know there are a range of reasons why some women don’t come forward, and there is much more still to do to support more women to access breast screening."
The UK government is considering extending routine breast screening to ages 47 to 73. University of Oxford's AgeX trials are evaluating the benefits and harms of this extended screening window.