Star date: 21st March 2017

BREAST CANCER SCREENING AND CERVICAL SCREENING IN SALFORD WELL BELOW AVERAGE

The Salford rate for breast cancer screening, at 65.2%, is ten percent below the national average and well below the Greater Manchester average. Cervical screening uptake rates are the second lowest in Greater Manchester, and bowel cancer screening is also below the national average. 

Meanwhile, a recent Salford City Council consultation on the future of pharmacies drew just four responses from people who live or work in the city.

Full details here...

As Salford authorities make big plans for improvement in health services, the rates for screening certain cancers are declining. A latest report from Salford Clinical Commissioning Group shows that breast screening, bowel screening and cervical screening uptakes are all below the national average.

The latest data available for the Salford breast screening programme (2014/15) shows a reduction in take up, at 65.2% compared to the previous year's 68.8% (2013/14). This is over ten per cent below the national average of 75.4%. It's also below the Greater Manchester average of 70.1% and the North West average of 71.9%.

Cervical Screening rates for women don't fare much better, with Salford having the second worst take up in Greater Manchester at 73.5% for all age groups in 2015/16 (Q4). For women aged 25 to 29, who are invited for a screening every three years, rates were as low as 63.5%, compared to 73.7% in Ashton, Leigh and Wigan, and 71% in Stockport.

Salford men fared slightly better, with the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme for 2015/16 (Q4) showing an uptake rate of 49.61%, slightly below the national target of 52%.

Meanwhile, between 18th November 2016 and 19th January 2017, Salford Council ran a consultation on the future of pharmaceutical services in the city, as part of its Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, or PNA, which considers whether there are any gaps in provision.

The PNA concluded that there were no gaps and the document was put out to consultation – but only eleven people in total responded, and, of them, only three people actually lived in the city and only one worked here. Two of the residents' remarks are quoted in the analysis of the responses. One stated "Some areas could be improved" and the other stated "Not sure on the provision of emergency out of hours services".

It appears from the report that the actual residents who bothered to respond "felt that the current pharmaceutical provision and services in Salford are not adequate" – while eight other respondents "felt that the current Pharmacy provision and services in Salford are adequate".

The conclusion of the PNA states that there's no current gaps in provision but adds "It is unclear at this point if the reduction in funding will have a impact on the number of pharmacies in Salford..."