Warminster Town Council has called for a meeting with Wiltshire Breast Screening Service to urge them to restore the service to Warminster.
Councillors are concerned by the decision to close the mobile breast screening service in Warminster, which means that women now have to travel to Westbury or further afield.
The decision to withdraw the service was made for a number of reasons, including concerns about anti-social behaviour such as people banging on the side of the van during treatment sessions (which creates grave concerns regarding privacy, safety and distress of those using the service).
Councillors are worried that the decision is having an adverse impact on women in Warminster and will discourage people from using the service. An estimated 2,500 – 3,000 women in the Warminster area qualify for the screening.
Cllr Liz Lee raised the issue at the Full Council meeting on 29th September. She told fellow councillors that there had been much public concern, particularly about the cost and inconvenience of traveling to Westbury for some people without private vehicles.
The town council would like the decision reconsidered and has offered to help overcome whatever problems caused the move – whether it means tackling antisocial behaviour or finding another location for the unit.
Cllr Liz Lee said:
“I am particularly concerned that the change will reduce screening uptake, especially among women with limited mobility or without easy transport. We know delay in diagnosis may lead to cancers being found at later stages, leading to increased costs for the NHS and worse outcomes for patients. The town council would like to explore positive courses of action that can be taken by the council to facilitate the return of the service to Warminster. For example – tackling the anti-social behaviour or finding an alternative site.”
The mobile breast screening service is part of the NHS Breast Screening Programme, offering mammography in mobile units to ensure access in local, often less hospital-centric settings.
• In Warminster, a mobile unit used to be sited in Morrisons, supported by a three-phase electrical point installed in the wall of the Morrisons building to provide power for the van and its scanners by the NHS.
• The unit also required infrastructure for handling clinical waste, to manage biohazardous and medical waste from screening operations.
For more information contact Warminster Town Council, Tel: 01985 214847 or email: admin@warminster-tc.gov.uk
Last modified: 2 October 2025
