Below are some frequently asked questions regarding our breast care service and your appointment:
Why are Very High Risk (VHR) breast screening appointments carried out at Musgrove Park Hospital?
We know that travelling to appointments is not always easy, and many people would prefer to have their screening closer to home. We would like to explain why Very High Risk (VHR) breast screening appointments take place at Musgrove Park Hospital for patients across Somerset.
VHR breast screening is a specialist NHS service for women who have a much higher chance of developing breast cancer. This may be because of certain genetic changes or other recognised high-risk conditions. Musgrove Park Hospital manages and coordinates this specialist service to help make sure patients receive safe, high-quality care.
By providing VHR screening from one specialist centre, we can keep appointments, scans, results and follow-up care well organised. This helps reduce the risk of missed appointments, repeated tests or delays in care. It also helps us meet the national standards required by the NHS Breast Screening Programme.
Your VHR screening may include both an MRI scan and a mammogram. Wherever possible, we arrange these on the same day. Musgrove Park Hospital has the specialist equipment, expert staff and support teams needed to run this service. Breast MRI scans are carried out using a 3 Tesla scanner, which produces very detailed images to help assess breast tissue.
If you are found to carry a VHR genetic mutation after a breast cancer diagnosis, we will invite you for screening through the NHS Breast Screening Programme, following national guidance. These appointments will take place at Musgrove Park Hospital.
We understand that travelling can be difficult for some people, and we appreciate the effort patients make to attend their appointments. However, VHR screening is a specialist service provided from a central location, so we cannot routinely move appointments to other sites based on personal preference.
Our priority is to make sure every eligible patient receives safe, effective screening and ongoing access to specialist care. If you are worried about travelling to your appointment or need any reasonable adjustments, please contact the VHR team. We will do our best to help.
Thank you for your understanding and support in helping us provide a safe and effective service for all patients.