Lithgow City Councillor Cassandra Coleman said she was concerned about residents' ongoing access to mobile breast screens.
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At council's regular meeting on August 26, Cr Coleman asked, as a matter of urgency, that council look into the service for Lithgow after receiving an email from a resident including correspondence from Breast Screen NSW Sydney West.
"Unfortunately BreastScreen NSW Sydney West is currently experiencing limitations with service delivery due to... staff shortages," Cr Coleman quoted from the letter at the meeting.
Mammography services were cut from Lithgow Hospital in 2017, with the permanent service replaced by the new mobile service.
At the time of the cut, it was stated the mobile service would visit for two weeks up to five times a year.
"The machine was taken out at the hospital and now the van's not coming due to staff shortages," Cr Coleman said.
"We need to make some inquiries in regards to this.
"One in nine women die of breast cancer... and we need to do something about it."
The closest screening services for Lithgow women would be in Katoomba, Penrith or Bathurst.
Westmead Breast Cancer Institute and BreastScreen NSW Sydney West director Nirmala Pathmanathan stated the van was last in Lithgow in June and would return later in the year.
"The BreastScreen mobile screening van provided free breast screening to women in Lithgow in June 2019 where 174 women had their mammograms," she said in a statement to the Lithgow Mercury.
"The mobile screening van will be returning to Lithgow later in the year.
"Women aged between 50-74 who are due for their mammogram during this period can visit BreastScreen Bathurst, Katoomba (located within Blue Mountains Hospital) or within the Myer Department Store in Penrith. Appointments can be made by calling 13 20 50."
The service gave no further information about a return date or whether the service had been affected by staff shortages.
Cr Coleman called on Bathurst MP Paul Toole to take an active hand in making sure this vital service continued to be offered.
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