Breast screening: registering with a GP practice
Updated 31 October 2021
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breast-screening-registering-with-a-gp-practice/breast-screening-registering-with-a-gp-practice
Public Health England (PHE) created this information on behalf of the NHS.
All women aged 50 up to their 71st birthday are invited for breast screening every 3 years if they are registered with a GP practice. First invitations to breast screening are sent sometime between your 50th and 53rd birthdays.
If you want to be screened, you need to register with a GP practice. It is easy to register, and you should be able to register with a GP practice of your choice. A GP practice cannot refuse to register you if you have no form of identification or because you do not have a fixed address.
Breast screening invitation and result letters are sent by post. If you cannot register with your own address, you need to think about how you can receive these letters. If you are unable to provide an address, the GP practice can register you using its own address. This means you will have to collect your letters from there.
If you have been refused registration at a GP practice because you have no fixed address, contact the NHS England customer contact centre on 0300 311 22 33 or email england.contactus@nhs.net
How to register
Full information on how to register with a GP is available on NHS.UK
Specific information is also available about how to register if you are:
Getting a breast screening appointment
Once you are registered with a GP, it will take about 30 days before your information is available to the local breast screening service.
You can then contact your local breast screening service to ask about an appointment. They will advise you if you are due (or overdue) for screening, and book you an appointment if you are.
Contact details for all breast screening services are available on the NHS.UK website. Your GP practice may also be able to give you the details of your local service.
When you are due for screening, the NHS Breast Screening Programme sends you an invitation letter and information about the breast screening process. You can read our information leaflet NHS breast screening: helping you decide.
Once you have had screening, your results will arrive by post within 3 weeks after your appointment. The results are sent to the address you have provided to your GP. It is important you make sure your GP always has up to date details for you.
Further tests
Some women who have breast screening are called back for more tests. If this is the case for you, it will be explained in your results letter along with details of your new appointment.
More information
The NHS screening programmes use personal information from your NHS records to invite you for screening at the right time. Public Health England also uses your information to ensure you receive high quality care and to improve the screening programmes. Find out more about how your information is used and protected, and your options.
Find out how to opt out of screening.