AAA screening will 'start this summer'

A year after Gordon Brown promised a screening programme for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms, the first six screening sites have been announced.

According to the government, West Sussex, Leicester, Gloucester, South Manchester, South Devon and Exeter and South West London will 'start screening by summer 2009' and the programme is expected to be fully operational by the end of March 2012.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (or AAAs) occur when the walls of the aorta, the body's largest blood vessel, weaken and rupture. They kill around 6,500 men every year. There are often no symptoms but a dodgy aorta can be detected with a simple ultrasound scan.

MHF CEO Peter Baker said: 'The Forum was delighted last year when the prime minister announced that the NHS would introduce AAA.

'By working with MPs to press the government to accept the need for the screening, holding demonstration ultrasound scans for MPs and ministers and helping MPs who wanted to lead debates or ask the government questions on the issue, we have campaigned vigorously for this programme which will target men over 65 and are delighted to see it implemented.'

• More on AAAs
• The PM's promise on AAAs in full