Health Protection - Screening

Screening is a major public health activity, which aims to detect disease before symptoms appear or before the patient attends a health professional with the disease.

Screening has the potential to save lives and improve quality of life through early diagnosis of serious conditions. Although it is not a guarantee of diagnosis and cure.

For more information on screening visit the

Local Screening Programmes

Breast Screening

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in Northern Ireland - 1 in 12 women will develop breast cancer before the age of 75.

If detected at an early stage there is a good chance of successful recovery.

For more information view the leaflet:

Breast Screening: Your Early Warning System (PDF 129 KB).

All women aged 50 - 64 in Northern Ireland are invited to have their breasts screened every 3 years by a special x-ray known as a mammogram.

Women aged 65 or over are not automatically called for screening, but can make an appointment through their local screening centre, contact details below.

More information on what to expect if you are called back for a second visit can be found in the leaflet:
Breast Screening: What to Expect on Your Second Visit (PDF 201 KB).

If these tests show no abnormality then you will be given the leaflet:
Breast Screening: Satisfactory Test Results – What Now? (PDF 117 KB)

For more information on looking out for changes view the leaflet:
Breast Awareness: Looking Out for Changes (PDF 134 KB).

Breast Screening: Your Early Warning System (PDF 129 KB) is also available in the following translations:

Breast Awareness: Looking For Changes (PDF 134 KB) is also available in the following translations:

Screening Centres

Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
The Screening Centre
12-22 Linenhall Street
Belfast
BT2 8BS
Tel: 028 9033 3700

South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
The Screening Centre
12-22 Linenhall Street
Belfast
BT2 8BS
Tel: 028 9033 3700

Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Northern Area Breast Screening and Assessment Unit
Level A, Antrim Area Hospital
45 Bush Road
Antrim
BT41 2RL
Tel: 028 9442 4425

Southern Health and Social Care Trust
The Breast Screening Unit
Lurgan Hospital
Sloan Street
Lurgan
BT66 8NX
Tel: 028 3834 7083

Western Health and Social Care Trust
The Breast Screening Unit
Altnagelvin Hospital
Glenshane Road
Londonderry
BT47 6SB
Tel: 028 7161 1443

Cervical Screening

Many cases of cancer of the cervix can be prevented. Around 30 to 40 women in Northern Ireland die from this disease each year and many of them had never had a cervical smear.

All women in Northern Ireland aged between 20 and 65 years are offered a cervical smear every 5 years. If you have not had one, you should contact your GP surgery or family planning clinic.

For more information on cervical smears (PDF 104KB).

Information if you have had an abnormal result from your smear test (PDF 91 KB).

For more information on Colposcopy (PDF 88 KB).

Other Programmes

Antenatal Screening

There is a range of tests available to pregnant women to look for possible health problems, which could affect the pregnancy if not detected and treated.

For more Information on the tests normally carried out view the leaflet

Protecting You and Your Baby: Your First Antenatal Visit (PDF 204 KB).

This leaflet has also been translated into

Newborn Bloodspot Screening

The Northern Ireland Newborn Bloodspot Screening programme is offered to all newborn babies when 5 days old.

For information on the tests carried out view the leaflet

Newborn Blood Spot Screening for Your Baby (PDF 1.09KB)

This leaflet has also been translated into:

A number of documents and resources have been developed for Health Professionals and can be viewed below.

Cystic Fibrosis Screening: Northern Ireland Approved Guidance, Protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (PDF 5.17MB)

MCADD Screening: Northern Ireland Approved Guidance, Protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (PDF 1.53MB)

MCADD and Revised CF E Learning Session (PDF 197KB)

Northern Ireland Revised Bloodspot Screening Programme - Professional Handout (PDF 5.12MB)

Child Health Screening

More information on UK wide recommendations can be found at Health For All Children

Coming Up

The national Screening Committee has recommended that all people with diabetes should have the back of their eyes photographed every year.

Some areas in Northern Ireland already have this service and there plans are being developed to extend this to other areas.