NHS offers ‘ping and book’ screening to boost mammogram take-up

Nurse doing a mammogram examination of a patient
Nurse doing a mammogram examination of a patient

The NHS is to offer “ping and book” breast screening, with text reminders for women who miss a mammogram.

From December, services will introduce the phone alerts, which will also allow patients to book their appointment, via the NHS app.

Under the plans, millions of women will be offered the service over the next 18 months.

Announcing the move, Amanda Pritchard, the NHS chief executive, said it would “revolutionise” access to screening.

Addressing the NHS Providers annual conference in Liverpool, Ms Pritchard said use of technology would boost access and save the NHS £130 million over five years.

Cervical screening covered from 2025

Invitations for breast screening will start being sent directly via the NHS app from December. Cervical screening will begin to be covered from early next year.

Millions of women will receive invitations and reminders through the app by early 2026, officials said.

NHS figures show one in three women eligible for breast screening has missed a mammogram in the last five years, with a drop in take-up since the pandemic.

More than 2 million women in their 50s and 60s in England have not had a mammogram in the past three years.

Ms Pritchard said: “We’re making massive strides with the NHS app, with patients getting more information, convenience and control over their own care, while helping us to work more productively too.

“We are really excited by the potential of technology to revolutionise access to cancer screening for women and help ensure everyone eligible can make the most of these life-saving services at the touch of a button.”

“Next month we’re starting the rollout of a new ‘ping and book’ approach for breast and cervical checks through the NHS app, which will replace costs of letters and text messages with pop-ups on your phone and help make it as convenient as possible to book appointments.”

£14.7m cost of reminders

Last year, NHS breast screening services detected cancers in 18,942 women across England, which otherwise may not have been diagnosed and treated until a later stage.

Under the new system, eligible women will first receive a notification through the app to remind them to book an appointment. This will be followed by an email or text message if they don’t respond, followed by a letter through the post if neither of the first two reminders has had a response.

NHS cancer screening programmes currently send more than 25 million invitations, reminders and results letters to patients by post, costing £14.7 million every year.

Health officials said the NHS is working closely with the Government to develop a 10-year health plan which will introduce more innovations and technology to improve care for patients, as well as healthcare efficiency.