HEALTH experts who have spent five years looking at ways of improving the breast cancer service have decided to concentrate part of the service in Winchester rather than Basingstoke.

Dr Simon Tanner, director of public health at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Health Authority, said: "We have been thinking about breast screening issues since 1997 and it has taken that long to come to a concensus and find the best way forward."

Breast screening started on a national basis in the late 1980s and since then has helped to reduce mortality rates by 20 per cent over the past 10 years although they are still above the rates of some other countries, Dr Tanner told the Winchester and Central Community Health Council meeting in Andover's Guildhall.

At present women aged between 50 and 64 are screened every three years with around seven to 10 per cent of them called back for further assessment.

At present the assessments are carried out in Basingstoke and Winchester but the proposal is to concentrate the assessment service in Winchester.

"The issue is one of size," said Dr Tanner.

"The units are about half the size suggested with all the problems associated with single handed consultants and cover. Larger facilities for assessment are needed."

Other options had been looked at but were rejected by the health authority.

"The decision was finely balanced but we thought assessment services should be based in Winchester and not Basingstoke," said Dr Tanner.

"Women will still be screened in Basingstoke but assessed in Winchester and return to Basingstoke for surgery."

Public consultation on the proposal begins following the jubilee holiday.