It could take three years to clear BreastCheck backlog

The HSE, which runs the breast screening service, said it will prioritise women who have 'waited longest'. Picture: File picture

Breast cancer screening services resumed yesterday but it has emerged it could take three years to screen the 153,000 women currently awaiting mammograms, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Tens of thousands of appointments have been cancelled and while the screening service has resumed it will operate at reduced capacity in a Covid-19 environment.

The HSE, which runs the screening service, said it will prioritise women who have “waited longest” for breast screening and confirmed that it could take up to three years to clear the backlog.