How many cancer screening appointments have been cancelled in each month since February 2020, broken down by screening programme.

As processes vary across the three cancer screening programmes, it is only possible to provide cancellation data for the breast screening programme.
Cervical screening programme appointments are made and cancelled within sample taker locations, primarily in general practice. Details of these appointments are not recorded by the cervical screening programme, and the Scottish Government does not therefore hold the requested data.
Appointment cancellations are not applicable to the bowel screening programme as test kits are sent to screening participants and returned by post and therefore no appointments are necessary.
The following table shows breast screening appointments cancelled by screening participants, broken down by month from 1 March until 4 December.
Participant Cancel by Month
March
2,223
April
0
May
0
June
0
July
0
August
1570
September
2147
October
2454
November
2315
1 st week of December
1441
Total
12,150
The following table shows office-cancelled breast screening appointments, broken down by month from 1 March until 4 December. It is important to note, however, that all of these office-cancelled appointments are reappointed as a matter of course and an invitation to screening sent to the participant. Where appointments are rescheduled in this way before a letter of invitation has been sent, the screening participant may be unaware their appointment has been cancelled and reappointed.
Office Cancel By Month
March
23,398
April
0
May
0
June
0
July
0
August
3768
September
4567
October
5778
November
3905
1 st week of December
2047
Total
43,463
As the breast screening programme was temporarily paused from 30 March until 3 August (due to the impacts of Covid-19), there were no cancellations in April, May, June or July.