BreastScreen WA launches online booking

• WA's first online booking system launched on World Cancer Day

• Women can now book their free mammogram online

• An additional 5,000 women expected to be screened each year

In a first for WA Health clinical services, women can now book their mammograms with BreastScreen WA (BSWA) using an online booking system.

Launching the new system today, World Cancer Day, Health Minister Kim Hames said it was expected that 5,000 more women would be screened each year due to the ease of access to online appointments.

"Up until now, if a woman wanted to book her regular screening mammogram she would need to call for an appointment during business hours from Monday to Friday," Dr Hames said.

"Considering how busy many women's lives are, it's very easy for this important health check to fall off the to-do list during the working day.

"With the convenience of being able to book an appointment 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week we expect a significant number of extra women will be able to access the BreastScreen WA service each year."

Breast cancer is the most common potentially fatal cancer in Australian women, with one in eight developing the disease during her lifetime.

"Regular mammograms are the most effective method for detecting breast cancer early and reducing the amount of cancer treatment needed as well as significantly improving a woman's likelihood of surviving the disease," the Minister said.

BSWA provides free breast screening to WA women aged 40 years and over, but specifically targets women aged 50-69 years who are invited to have a mammogram appointment every two years. 

         Fact File

• Women aged 40 and over who have attended the service before, or who have received an invitation to attend, can now book an appointment at any of BSWA's Perth metropolitan clinics by visiting http://www.breastscreen.health.wa.gov.au    

• A screening mammogram every two years significantly increases the chance of a woman surviving breast cancer and reduces the amount of treatment she needs

• Screening mammograms may detect up to 90% of breast cancers

• BSWA performs more than 100,000 mammograms each year State-wide through its Perth metropolitan clinics, Bunbury clinic and mobile regional screening units

Minister's office - 6552 5300