ALMOST 4,000 women were identified in 2016 as not having been sent routine invitations for breast screening, an MSP has highlighted.

Conservative MSP Jamie Greene raised the figures, contained in a review published in December that year by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), as he sought assurances the screening programme’s IT system is “fit for purpose”.

It comes as the Scottish Government revealed last week 1,761 women aged over 70 were being contacted by the NHS after it emerged they were not invited for breast screening appointments, with the length of delay ranging from a few months to three years.

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Dudley News:

PA

WORKERS at two rail companies are to stage fresh strikes in the long-running dispute over the role of guards on trains.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at South Western Railway (SWR) will walk out on October 5 and 6, causing more disruption to passengers on routes including to and from London Waterloo.

The union has also called strikes on Arriva Rail North (Northern) on October 6, 13 and 20.

South Western Railway said it was “disappointed” by the decision.

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Dudley News:

PA

THE second fire commander in charge at Grenfell Tower has defended his decision not to evacuate the burning block, believing residents would die trying to escape.

Andrew Walton, a station manager from Kingston with 29 years of experience, took over from watch manager Michael Dowden as incident commander on June 14 last year.

He did not spend long in the role – replaced shortly afterwards by deputy assistant commissioner Andrew O’Loughlin – but he carried out a full assessment of the situation shortly before 2am.

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