BreastScreen Victoria will receive an additional $20 million over the next four years to increase access to breast screening. The announcement in this week’s State Budget is the largest funding boost to the program in over ten years.
The funding will allow BreastScreen Victoria to expand its services and increase appointment availability, particularly in areas with significant population growth in Victoria.
BreastScreen Victoria’s Interim CEO Luke Neill said: “We welcome the funding announcement in this year’s State Budget. We are excited to grow BreastScreen Victoria and provide better access to our program, particularly as we recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
“Breast screening every two years is an important way to look after your health. Regular mammograms can pick up breast cancer early when it is likely to be small and more easily treated. This funding means our crucial service will be available to even more people, especially those clients we know are under-screened.”
The funding will allow BreastScreen Victoria to provide more free breast screens across the state in new and existing clinics, as well as attract even more skilled staff into our workforce.
It will also help to reach clients in communities with lower participation in our program, focusing on the Aboriginal community. This will build on some great work already happening in this space as part of The Beautiful Shawl Project, a collaborative project with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO).
The funding for BreastScreen Victoria is part of the ‘Equitable cancer care and prevention’ initiative in the State Budget, which also includes investment in cancer treatment.