Ngaire Te Paa, from Ruawai; Dot Simpson, from Ruawai; Mary McLeod, from Ruawai; Louise Elia, Waitemata DHB and Judy Edmonds, Waitemata DHB

Kaipara women are now able to get rapid response information with the introduction of a new digital breast screening unit, in a joint initiative organised by the Northland District Health Board and Waitemata Health.

The practice manager at the Dargaville Medical centre, Judy Harris, said the unit will travel throughout Northland in a roughly two year cycle.

“We will issue invitations for screening to eligible women when it comes to our area,” she said.

“The advantage of the unit is that it immediately indicates if a scan is made correctly, rather than possibly being compromised by the old x-ray film being faulty, or shadowed. So clients don’t have to wait while the film is sent away and assessed — they know straight away if the scan is valid and don’t have to be called back for re-screening.

“In addition, the new system means scans can be transmitted electronically for assessment, resulting in much faster turnaround. This is a great boon especially in rural communities, where women may travel some distance for their appointment. Until now, sometimes they had to be called back to be screened again.”

Kaipara District Health Trust CEO, Deb Evans, said, “the new digital unit is a huge benefit for rural women.”