BreastScreen SA has introduced a temporary pop-up clinic at the Aldinga GP Plus Health Care Centre, bringing vital breast cancer screening services closer to home for women in the region. This initiative aims to address the increasing demand for screening in Aldinga, McLaren Vale, and Willunga.

Lauren Civetta, Program Director of BreastScreen SA, highlights the importance of regular breast screening, especially for women aged 50 to 74. “It is important that women over 40 years, especially those aged 50 to 74, have a breast screen every two years to check for subtle breast tissue changes,” she says.

The Aldinga region, home to more than 4,500 women in the target age range, currently has participation rates below the program level, at around 47 per cent. Approximately 1,200 clients have been accessing screening services through the Christies Beach Clinic or the mobile screening unit, which visits McLaren Vale every two years.

However, the last visit to McLaren Vale concluded in December last year, making this pop-up clinic a timely addition.

Dr Civetta says BreastScreen SA has been working on identifying areas with low participation and reduced accessibility, aiming to provide more services within these regions. "During the COVID-19 pandemic, we successfully implemented temporary pop-up clinics at Victor Harbor and Port Lincoln, with our pop-up clinic at Mount Barker proving so successful, we were able to convert it into an ongoing clinic."

The pop-up clinic at Aldinga is only available for six months, with appointments available three days per week on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. This service ensures that women in the Aldinga area have timely access to breast cancer screening, reducing the need for long-distance travel and encouraging higher participation rates.

There is also a mobile breast screen unit currently based in Victor Harbor. This unit is available until 20 November at the Southern Fleurieu Health Service, located on Harbour View Terrace. The mobile unit will be parked in the car park on the corner of Malen Avenue and Harbour View Terrace. Operating hours are from 8.30am to 4pm. For more information or to book an appointment, call 13 20 50 or email.