In a world-first, a clinic that links screening for breast cancer, diagnosis and treatment in a centralised location has opened in Parramatta.
Women can visit the Breast Cancer Institute's Sunflower Clinic at Myer in Westfield Parramatta for a mammogram and by the time they leave the waiting room, the images will have been sent to Westmead for examination.
The clinic is fitted with the latest screening equipment that will reduce examination time, the need for images to be re-taken and improve reporting times.
Five in 1000 women screened are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer after assessment at Westmead.
Breast cancer affects more than 13,000 Australian women each year.
The Sunflower clinics aim to increase breast screening participation for women in western Sydney, as regular mammograms reduces a woman's risk of dying from cancer.
Executive director of the Breast Cancer Institute, John Boyages, said the clinics were a ''dream come true''.
''I had the idea 15 years ago to link screening and treatment and this is the missing piece of the puzzle. It's really exceeded our expectations,'' Professor Boyages said.
''Many women weren't coming back for mammograms with BreastScreen and [western Sydney] had one of the lowest rates in NSW. We needed something closer to the community with extended running hours.
''We had a workshop with breast cancer patients and staff and our planners to see how they felt about this their ideas and thoughts. There was a bit of resistance from those in the breast screening industry but the patients wanted it. They said it was the best idea.
''An 82-year-old woman in my clinic loved the idea. She said it would be great for her daughter as it was harder to get the modern generation, who are so time poor, to a mammogram.
''This is in a place where they are doing their shopping.''
There were 30 appointments on Tuesday, he said.
The specially built clinics, in the lingerie department at Myer, are open 8.30am to 6pm but between 11am and 2pm there will be no appointments.
Women with breast cancer will be seen by a team of specialists and breast care nurses at the Breast Cancer Institute with surgery planned at Westmead, Auburn, Mt Druitt and Nepean public and affiliated private hospitals. The patient will be supported by breast care nurses funded by the institute.
''One woman a week will be picked up for having cancer in the Myer store,'' Professor Boyages said.
''We will have eight clinics in total by the end of the year, four in hospitals [Blue Mountains, Mt Druitt, Lithgow and Auburn] and four in Myer stores - the next is Penrith, then Blacktown and Castle Hill. They'll be done by June.''
Myer is providing rent-free space for the clinics, which are funded by the Breast Cancer Institute, Treasury funds, the Sydney West Area Health Service and the Cancer Institute NSW.
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