HELENSBURGH’S MSP has called on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to rethink their planned review of breast services in the area.

Jackie Baillie made her plea as new figures from the Information Services Division Scotland show that people in the most deprived areas are significantly more likely to be diagnosed and die from cancer than in the least deprived areas.

In July this year, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde presented a paper to their acute services committee which proposed removing the service from the Vale of Leven Hospital and Inverclyde Royal Hospital and centralising it at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

But the new figures, which cover the period up to 2017, show that cancer rates are 36 per cent higher in Scotland’s most deprived areas and mortality rates from cancer are 76 per cent higher than in the least deprived areas.

Ms Baillie also pointed towards research showing that women from lower socio-economic groups are less likely to go for breast cancer screening, and that moving services further away reduces the likelihood of this group of women attending follow-up appointments.

Ms Baillie said: “It is clear that there is a direct link between women from deprived areas being less likely to attend breast screening appointments and the same group being more likely to be diagnosed and die from cancer.

“If we already know that this group are less likely to attend, then surely we should be ensuring that services are available as close to home as possible, for both screenings and follow up appointments.

“I hope that this new evidence from ISD Scotland will make the health board rethink their plans to move breast services which would make it even more difficult for women in Dumbarton, the Vale of Leven and Helensburgh to attend follow up appointments if they are suspected of having cancer.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is fully committed to reducing health inequalities and delivering local safe and sustainable services where possible.”