The national breast screening programme - BreastCheck - should be expanded to include all women over the age of 40, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has said.

Currently, BreastCheck offers women aged between 50 and 64 free breast screening, as part of the National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS).

However, the INMO believes the age at which screening is offered should be extended.

It made its call following the success of its ‘Pink Power' initiative, which provided INMO members with access to a free breast examination, advice and follow-up care if required in 18 centres nationwide. This marked the first initiative of its kind to be offered by any trade union in this country.

More than 3,100 members availed of the initiative and among these, 108 required mammograms and 46 required biopsies. Three members were subsequently found to have breast cancer. These members are now ‘undergoing active care and treatment with a very positive outlook', the INMO said.

It explained that because of the success of Pink Power, it is now the view of the INMO's Executive Council that BreastCheck should be expanded to include women over the age of 40.

The organisation is also calling for a major education programme aimed at encouraging women to carry out self-examinations on a regular basis.

"Based upon our experience of this Pink Power initiative, the INMO is now calling for an immediate expansion of BreastCheck so that earlier detection can occur and lives can potentially be saved. We must also utilise all available communication channels to further educate, and encourage, women to undertake regular self-examination to assist early detection," said INMO president, Clare Mahon.

The organisation added that the expansion of BreastCheck ‘can be implemented in a very cost effective way, as the infrastructure is already in place'.

"BreastCheck must be expanded without delay in the interest of women in this country," Ms Mahon added.