The DVD is designed to particularly target women with a learning disability and other hard to reach groups with poor screening uptake rates.
Speaking at the launch, the Health Minister said: “It is a known fact that screening programmes save lives by identifying those women who may be at risk of cancer, and offer them further investigation and early treatment. Five year survival rates for patients diagnosed with breast cancer is now over 80%.
“I hope by using the DVD women who, in the past, may not have attended for their screening appointment, will have better knowledge to enable them to make a fully informed decision.”
The DVD aims to increase awareness of the importance of screening. It describes the screening process outlining what women should expect when they attend a screening appointment and it has been designed for use in group settings.
Mr McGimpsey continued: “The DVD will be a valuable resource for health promotion staff, learning disability teams, community women’s groups and others. But most importantly it will be a benefit to women by providing the information, the encouragement and the reassurance that they need.”
Notes to Editors:
- The DVD has been funded by the four Health and Social Services Boards and developed in collaboration with Action Cancer.
- It aims to increase awareness of the importance of screening and describes the screening process, outlining what women should expect when they attend a screening appointment.
- The DVD is primarily aimed for use with groups of learning disabled women.
- The information is presented in the form of a story and is available in English, Polish, Urdu, Cantonese and sign language and subtitle format.
- For all media queries, please contact DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 2841. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
