A hospital trust is putting on extra capacity for women in Shropshire to have catch-up breast screening sessions after a national NHS IT problem.

The catch-up sessions at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) are for women aged between 70 and 79 who have been identified as not receiving their invitation from the NHS programme because of the national IT problem with the breast screening invitation system.

They will be in addition to the normal NHS breast screening sessions.

Women affected by the national IT error will be sent letters offering them the opportunity for a catch-up session, with appointments due to start in mid-May.

Staff at SaTH, which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital (PRH), have been volunteering to work extra hours to ensure that all women who want appointments can be seen within six months.

Nigel Lee, chief operating officer at SaTH, said: “These appointments will be in addition to our current sessions, so that the normal screening programme is not impacted.

“In order to do this our staff are volunteering to work extra hours, and so I would like to thank them for their commitment towards helping us to achieve this, ensuring that all those women who want a catch up breast screening appointment can be seen as quickly as possible.”

Women can seek advice by calling the national helpline on 0800 169 2692.