Annex 2

Breast Screening Programme

Your local breast screening team is now working in this area, inviting the women aged about 50-70 who are registered in this practice for routine breast screening.

A research trial is also being done to help assess the benefits and risks of screening women slightly younger than 50 and older than 70.

For this research, about half the women aged 47-49 and half of those aged 71-73 are also being sent letters inviting them for screening, plus a leaflet giving them information about the trial.

Women invited by the trial for screening at age 71-73 may well be invited again at ages 74-76 and 77-79.

To assess the effects, screening data will be linked to routinely collected health records held by NHS Digital for all women, whether or not they were invited. Names will be removed before researchers analyse the data.

Further information about the trial and data flow, including information about how to opt out of the study, can be found at www.agex.uk

You can discuss breast screening with your doctor.

All women aged over 70 can ask to be screened while the screening team is in the area, regardless of the trial. If you want to do this, the practice staff can help.

Nationwide cluster-randomised trial of extending the breast screening age range in England: the AgeX trial. Original ethical approval: Ref 10/H0710/9