Patients can once again benefit from the North Lancashire and South Cumbria Breast Screening service at the newly refurbished unit in Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal.

Run by University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT), the service has been described by residents as "efficient", "professional", and "fantastic."

Emily Brooks, head of Breast Screening for the service, said: "We were delighted to reopen our Kendal unit between Christmas and the New Year, and we have made significant improvements by putting in new equipment and redesigning the breast screening room.

"This is very much a community-orientated service, and we want local people to feel at home here.

"In our surveys, the feedback from our service users is 99% positive and we always try to keep improving the service for everyone.

The Westmorland Gazette: Emily Brooks said this is a community-orientated service

"We see around 50 people per day at WGH and our mammographers are all female.

"We always listen to the people who use our service, and we have a great uptake in the South Cumbria area."

The refurbished unit includes a technologically advanced breast screening room equipped with scanning technology that provides high-quality and 3D imaging.

The waiting area, UHMBT said, was also expanded and in response to patient feedback, the screening room can be used as a private changing area. Mood lighting has also been installed to create a more relaxed environment.

UHMBT said feedback from service users was overwhelmingly positive.

One service user said: “It was great. My appointment was exactly on time. The person who did the scan was pleasant and informative and I received the result in a matter of days.”

Another praised the team: "From the lady on reception to the staff doing the mammogram, they were kind, knowledgeable and efficient.”

Another simply said: “Wonderful staff, fantastic service.”

The service covers a large area, from Barrow to Blackpool, the Fylde Coast, and Preston, serving around 115,000 eligible people.

It employs 22 mammographers, consultant radiographers and advanced practitioners, along with an Improving Uptake Officer.

Ms Brooks, who was previously a mammographer, said: "Results for routine screening take two to four weeks, and if anything is found during a routine breast screening appointment, the person would be recalled within three weeks, and we would investigate.

"It’s a very nice service to work in and incredibly rewarding. Our staff are brilliant, and we feel we are making a difference."

The modification of the unit was funded by NHS England, with project management provided by UHMBT’s Capital Services Team.