Assurances Over Breast Screening Programme

Health Minister Bill English said today he had been assured that free breast cancer screening for all women between 50 and 64 years would begin by December this year.

"The National Breast Cancer Screening Programme was to have started in July 1997. This start date was delayed following the merger of the four regional health authorities into one agency.

"Since then, however, there have been further unacceptable delays. Late last year I raised my concerns over these delays with the Health Funding Authority (HFA) and have now been given assurances that the programme will start by the end of the year.

"I have been advised that the HFA board has now approved a business plan for the programme, which provides a definitive plan of action for implemention.

"Breast cancer screening is a major prevention programme aimed at improving the health of New Zealand women. Since becoming aware of the extent of the delays in getting this programme up and running I have sought and been given quite concrete assurances from the HFA that the programme will start this year," he said.

Mr English said funding of $40 million was allocated for the programme in 1995. While the funding had originally been allocated over three years beginning in 1996/97, it would now be carried forward to enable the programme to be fully implemented.