WOMEN, found to have abnormalities after breast screening, might have to travel many miles for further tests.

Dr Robert Sherriff, director of public health at Buckinghamshire Health Authority, said a specialist central unit might be formed for further breast screenings of women who have an abnormal mammogram and who are recalled for further assessment.

Women in south Buckinghamshire are currently able to go to Milton Keynes, Stoke Mandeville or Wycombe general hospitals for further tests.

But the changes could mean closing units to further secondary screening.

The specialist unit would be at either Wycombe or Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Betty Barratt, former Labour chairman of Wycombe District Council, has twice suffered from breast cancer. She said it would be wrong to close any units for further screenings.

She said: "For young women, it would be extremely difficult if they've got children and elderly people, who if they're really poorly, wouldn't be able to drive."

She added: "If it's bad news, you can't then drive 20 miles. When you come away from hospital, you would really need someone."

Mrs Barratt said that women also benefit from being able to go into their local hospital unit. Further screening could involve three more visits for test and biopsies and Mrs Barratt said it helps to see a familiar face.

She said: "We've got such caring staff and they sometimes come to be as caring and supportive as your family."

The Free Press launched an SOS campaign in July to save the screening services in the three hospitals after proposals were discovered to close either one or two of the breast screening units.

Health officials said the current units are too small and concentrating resources would provide a better service.

They undertook public consultation and found most people were in favour of keeping the breast screening service local.

The screening review team has been advised by a leading national expert that is should be possible to maintain mammographic breast screening at all of the existing hospital locations, as well as the mobile screening units.

But Dr Sherriff has said a change in the service is necessary concerning the seven per cent of women who are recalled for further assessment.

There will be a national conference on the arrangements for breast screening in the spring and the screening review group will take account of any recommendations before making its final report.