What happened to the Essex breast screening services?
Thousands of women in parts of Essex were left waiting for breast screening after services were suspended for nearly two months. The pause began in early August and affected vans and units covering Colchester and Chelmsford. A technical fault with a Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) – the software that lets clinicians compare new mammograms with older images – was blamed for the disruption.
Breast screening in England is offered to women aged 50 to 71, and the affected period has left many anxious about backlogs and potential delays in detecting cancer at an early stage. The suspension affected routine invitations and online booking, with several women reporting their sessions being rebooked or cancelled without notice.
The scale and impact
Officials from the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Trust (ESNEFT), which runs the service, confirmed the issue was resolved and that normal screening activity would resume on Monday, 6 October. They said around 7,000 patients would be offered new appointments as part of a recovery plan. The challenge now, they say, is to clear the backlog and ensure every eligible woman receives timely screening.
Recovery plan and what comes next
ESNEFT stressed that a recovery plan is in place and that they are committed to seeing all patients who had routine screenings paused be seen as soon as possible. While the immediate fault has been fixed, the organisation acknowledged that restoring full capacity and managing the backlog would take time and careful scheduling.
Community voices and concerns
Local residents have voiced frustration at the disruption. One Chelmsford resident described repeatedly trying to book an appointment, only to be told that no slots were available. The disruption has raised concerns about how quickly the system can recover from a software failure and what contingency plans are in place for future technical glitches.
Marie Goldman, Liberal Democrat MP for Chelmsford, criticised the handling of the outage, calling the situation “simply not good enough” and warning of the potential backlog and clinical repercussions. Healthwatch Essex cautioned that cancellations create additional barriers, potentially delaying important screening and treatment for some patients who might otherwise be encouraged to attend.
What patients should know
For those awaiting screening, the message from ESNEFT is clear: services are returning to full operation and affected patients will be contacted with new appointment dates. If you have concerns about your screening invitation or need information, you can contact Healthwatch Essex at 0300 500 1895 or visit their website for guidance.
Key takeaways for patients
- The PACS issue caused the temporary suspension of breast screening services in Colchester and Chelmsford.
- About 7,000 women will receive new invites as part of the recovery plan.
- A formal recovery strategy is in place to address the backlog and restore routine access to screening.
- If you’re unsure about your appointment or need information, contact the helpline or local NHS trust office.
The broader context
While the immediate focus is on clearing the backlog, the episode raises wider questions about contingency planning for software implementations in health services. The NHS has to balance rapid restoration of essential services with ensuring accuracy in imaging and safe clinical decision-making. The Essex incident underscores the importance of robust IT support and clear patient communication in safeguarding cancer screening programs.
