Mike Freer the Conservative MP for Finchley and Golders Green attended Finchley Memorial Hospital earlier this month alongside the Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock.

The visit was part of a long nine-year-campaign by Mr Freer to install a permanent breast screening unit.

I was delighted to accompany the Secretary of State for Health, Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, to the official opening of the new static state of the art permanent digital breast screening unit at Finchley Memorial Hospital on January 17.

This new unit sits alongside a new suite of scanners which will greatly improve the diagnostic ability of the hospital.

I am very pleased to see this important new unit opened after my nine years of campaigning, first as Leader of Barnet Council and then as the local Member of Parliament.

I became more closely involved in the fight when two of my closest friends were sadly diagnosed with the disease.

I know from their experiences that being diagnosed with breast cancer can, obviously, be devastating. I am pleased to say following successful treatment, they are both now in recovery.

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Mike Freer and Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock at the new unit

I first realised in 2010, whilst looking at my newly created portfolio for public health, that the local take-up rate for breast screening was well below national targets, with only some 58 per cent of eligible women being scanned against a national target of 80 per cent, and still considerably below the minimum national standard of 70 per cent.

The reasons included that the call-up process was not as effective as it should be, especially for non-responders, but also that the machines used were analogue and breast screening films were sometimes lost, mislabelled or misread.

The breast screening service was eventually overhauled.

The machines were then all replaced with digital machines and I noticed that the permanent screening centre at Edgware General Hospital was more welcoming than the mobile unit that serviced Finchley Memorial Hospital.

This led to my campaign for a new permanent centre at Finchley Memorial and I now plan to write to every household in my constituency to ensure my constituents are aware of the new service.

Whatever our family circumstances we are all likely to know a friend or relative that will benefit from these improved services.

Early detection of cancer can help the chances of successful treatment drastically and this new permanent unit will help improve the lives of women in our area for years to come.