The Member of Parliament for Finchley and Golders Green, Mike Freer, has welcomed news that agreements have been finalised for the provision of a new purpose-built static digital Breast Screening Unit at Finchley Memorial Hospital.
Commenting, Mike said “Campaigning to see a permanent Breast Screening Unit built at Finchley Memorial Hospital has been a priority for me for some years and I am very pleased it has now been given the go-ahead.
“I am particularly pleased that Barnet CCG are moving quickly to get this built and opened by the summer. It will be a real benefit to the thousands of local women that the hospital serves and will provide a vital, life-saving service in a new purpose-built facility. I would like to thank Barnet CCG and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust for reaching this important agreement.”
According to Barnet CCG, conversion works at the hospital are due to start imminently, with the aim of finishing all capital works at the end of April. Commissioning and installation of new diagnostic equipment will then take place during April and May. Barnet CCG will be continuing to co-ordinate with the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and Community Health Partnerships to have the service operational by June 2018.
Following Mike’s campaign, agreement in principle was reached in 2016 for the new unit. Last year, Mike took local health leaders to meet with the Secretary of State for Health, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP to discuss his campaign and other local health priorities.