Somerset NHS Foundation Trust launches new mobile breast screening units

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has introduced two new state-of-the-art mobile breast screening units to improve access and patient comfort across the county. These units replace aging vehicles that had been in service for approximately 15 years and had become increasingly expensive and difficult to maintain.

The new units feature a hybrid generator and battery system designed to significantly reduce the noise and vibration experienced by patients during appointments, addressing issues found in the previous models. The mobile units travel throughout Somerset, particularly into rural areas, to bring screening closer to home for the approximately 77,000 women eligible for routine screening every three years.

The units were officially opened by Deb Roan, a former nurse at the trust who became an advocate for early detection following a bilateral breast cancer diagnosis in 2024. The screening program targets women between the ages of 50 and 71, with the goal of identifying disease early to ensure better clinical outcomes.