BREAST SCREENING

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:20): My question is directed to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How will the upgrade in digital breast screening benefit South Australian women?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts) (15:21): I thank the member for her question and her interest in women's health. I know all members of this place are interested in women's health. I am very pleased to advise the house that digital breast screening is now available at most locations where we have BreastScreen SA in metropolitan Adelaide.

The state and federal governments have provided $36.7 million to roll out digital breast screening right across South Australia. Digital technology is now available at BreastScreen SA's Frome Road training centre, city clinic and Arndale clinic in the city's west. The conversion of these clinics follows on from the Elizabeth GP Plus Health Care Centre clinic and two country mobile units which began operating using digital technology in late 2010. A newly converted clinic at Marion is scheduled to open on 2 April this year. A third mobile unit, a dedicated assessment clinic, a screening clinic at Wayville and a new screening clinic in the southern suburbs will also be delivered as part of the upgrade program in 2013, along with a new archive and communication system.

This updated technology will allow faster and more precise screening and, I understand from having looked at the machinery and talked to some of the women, more gentle screening, so that women can be screened and more cancers can be detected and treated. In fact, it is anticipated that the total number of South Australian women screened will increase from approximately 74,000 this year to more than 96,000 by June 2015. As a result of that we will be able to screen sufficient numbers of women to potentially detect 340 more cancers.

Screening mammograms can detect breast cancers early before they are large enough to be felt and potentially before they spread. Early detection also allows women to be treated with less invasive, simpler procedures and reduces the need for care in hospital. This digital technology, of course, has less radioactive material, therefore it has less impact on the patients in the longer term.

We know that one in 11 women will develop breast cancer by the age of 75. It is the most common cancer among Australian women, accounting for 28 per cent of all cancers diagnosed. Ninety per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease, so it is well worthwhile going through this process. It is a free service, screening at two-yearly intervals, to women aged 50 to 69 across the state. I would encourage all members of this place to spread the word in their electorates to encourage their constituents, particularly those between the ages of 50 and 69, to have these tests.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I am sorry, we will have to bring question time to an end. We have only about 30 seconds left.