To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) the current provision of mobile breast cancer screening units; and (ii) the steps he is taking to increase the coverage of these services to rural areas.

The Northern Ireland Breast Screening Programme operates seven breast screening mobile units in the Northern, Southern, South Eastern and Western HSC Trust areas.

These seven mobile units currently offer breast screening at the following local sites:

Armagh, Ballymena, Banbridge, City Side Londonderry/Derry (Shantallow & Rathmor), Coleraine, Downpatrick, Dungannon, Enniskillen, Larne, Lisburn, Limavady, Lurgan, Magherafelt, Newcastle, Newry, Newtownards, Omagh, Strabane and Whiteabbey.

These mobile units are supported by static breast screening units at Altnagelvin Area Hospital, Antrim Area Hospital and Craigavon Area Hospital. Breast screening in the Belfast HSC Trust area is provided by the static unit in Linenhall Street in Belfast City centre.

The static and mobile units offer an accessible breast screening service to women, including women in rural areas. The PHA have confirmed that, along with the five HSC Trusts, they have established a project to support the development of a regional business case which will include consideration of the need for additional mammography equipment and breast screening mobile units.