A date and site have been set for the new mobile breast screening service in Katoomba.

The mobile service is providing a greater number of appointments at several locations across the Mountains. It has state-of-the-art equipment, ensuring that residents have less distance to travel for lifesaving mammograms.

The breast screen van will be sited in the grounds of the Katoomba Hospital car park. The first date for available mammograms at the site is Monday November 10 for two weeks (Monday to Friday), with visits then re-occurring every three months.

This development follows a number of constituents contacting Trish Doyle MP’s office before the Sunflower Clinic at Katoomba Hospital closed in August.

Ms Doyle organised a meeting between NSW Health and BreastScreen NSW and discovered that “the Sunflower Clinic mammography machine had come to the end of its life and was no longer reliable, resulting in many appointments being rescheduled at short notice”.

The machine in question was not a NSW Health asset and belonged to BreastScreen NSW. BreastScreen NSW elected not to have the machine replaced, opting instead for the mobile service.

Ms Doyle has made representations to the Health Minister about a return of a permanent breast screening service.

The BreastScreen van, which has a wheelchair lift, recently visited Springwood. It was parked at the Springwood IGA car park from August 25 to October 3.

To book an appointment for Katoomba or Springwood call: 13 20 50 or www.breastscreen.nsw.gov.au