Women’s cancer screening is life-saving, yet the services that support it and the workforce and technologies behind them, are facing growing pressure. Hologic brought together a Women’s Cancer Screening Taskforce of expert clinicians to examine how advanced technologies alongside workforce investment, can help address the urgent challenges and unlock new opportunities to strengthen screening across the UK.
The Taskforce’s actionable report, Empowering the Hidden Heroes Behind Every Diagnosis, which was launched at an event in the House of Commons hosted by Mike Kane MP has a clear and urgent message: if we support the workforce, we save lives.
“The cancer screening workforce is the foundation of our screening programmes, which are a key pillar in supporting women’s health in the UK,” said Tim Simpson, GM and sr director of Hologic UK, Ireland, Benelux and Nordics, at the launch event. “Initiatives supporting women’s health must remain a national priority – our Global Women’s Health Index shows a four-year decline with the UK’s women experiencing stagnating screening rates and rising physical pain. Addressing the barriers the cancer screening workforce face, would be a step in ensuring this improves.”
The Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, the source of this concerning statistic, is a multiyear, comprehensive survey to help fill a critical gap in what the world knows about the health and well-being of the world’s women and girls.
Addressing barriers unique to women
Taskforce members were united in recognising socioeconomic, cultural and psychological barriers that delay diagnoses for women, from fear and stigma to discomfort, low awareness and lack of trust in the system. These were particularly highlighted among women from ethnic minority groups and low-income backgrounds. Janet Lindsay, chief executive officer, Wellbeing of Women said: “Women are not hard to reach, they’re too often easy to ignore.”
The Taskforce emphasised that empowering the screening workforce means supporting them to reach every woman who needs care. That starts with community-led engagement. Trusted local organisations, especially those embedded in underserved communities, are essential to breaking down the barriers that keep women away from screening.
Safia Nazir, from Safeena Muslim Cancer Support Network said: “We need to identify why there is a low uptake of cancer screening… and address those reasons directly.”
Harnessing technology to improve the screening experience
The report identifies digital innovation as a game-changer for modernising and streamlining cancer screening. Dr Deirdre Lyons, consultant gynaecologist, described the current bottlenecks: “Too many proven technologies are stuck in pilot mode or waiting for approval… it’s about supporting the workforce to use it safely and confidently.”
Emerging tools such as AI-powered diagnostics and digital cytology, already used in Scotland, could improve diagnostic accuracy, increase workflow efficiencies and reduce delays in women’s cancer screening. However, as Dr. Nisha Sharma, consultant radiologist and director of the NHS Breast Screening Programme in Leeds, said: “Technology on its own is not enough.” She added, “We need to be clever in how we use smart technology and make sure we’re not compromising quality.” She added, “Used well, AI can help improve cancer detection, reduce unnecessary recalls, and support quicker, more confident decision-making.”
But integration is not without its challenges. UK infrastructure is often outdated, with legacy IT systems unable to support large imaging files or advanced algorithms. Smart solutions, like Hologic’s AI-assisted image technology, are helping address this by reducing image volume without losing diagnostic precision.
Still, Sharma stressed that adoption must be supported by investment in training, modern infrastructure and objective tools, particularly for underserved groups like women with dense breasts. “At the moment, breast density isn’t recorded in the NHS screening programme because we don’t have a standardised, impartial way to measure it,” she noted. “AI and automation can change that, making breast density assessment consistent and helping us triage high-risk women more effectively.”
To realise the full value of technology, the UK must match innovation with system-wide support, enabling clinicians to deliver better, faster care for every woman.
Raising awareness and driving engagement
Public education plays a critical role in improving screening uptake, especially among women who feel marginalised, anxious or misinformed.
David Wells, chief executive officer, Institute of Biomedical Sciences advocates for a shift in how health is viewed. He supports a stronger link between clinicians and communities and encourages shared responsibility including initiatives like drop-in screening clinics in workplaces (especially NHS sites), to improve screening uptake.
As Jo White MP poignantly said: “Screening is not optional, it’s lifesaving.”
Urgent action to improve the UK’s global standing
With the UK now ranked 41st in the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, urgent reforms are needed to bring women’s health outcomes in line with other leading nations.
As Sue Johnson, professional officer, Society and College of Radiographers said: “the workforce is being asked to deliver world-class care without a world-class plan, we need long-term investment, not short-term fixes.”
What is clear is that if screening is improved, more women will have the best possible chance of early diagnosis and better outcomes. Tim Simpson said: “We support our clinicians, we improve screening. And when we improve screening, we give more women the best possible chance of early diagnosis and better outcomes.”
Hologic’s Taskforce report is not just a document, it’s a roadmap. A roadmap backed by the voices of those who diagnose, treat and care every single day. The challenge now is to act on it.
Download the full Taskforce report to discover the ten recommendations that can help reshape the future of women’s cancer screening in the UK and support the hidden heroes behind every diagnosis.
