The call comes as analysis of latest NHS data shows that between 2018/19 and 2022/23, a total of 8.59 million breast screening appointments were attended out of 13.05 million invitations.

Despite rising uptake overall last year, the latest annual (2022/23) data shows that 35.4% of women did not take up the offer of screening following an invitation, with 2.18 million eligible women not having had a breast screen in the past three years.

Around four in every 100 women screened are asked to come back for more tests after screening and offered care and treatment as required. Of these four women, one will be found to have cancer, with screening preventing an estimated 1,300 deaths from breast cancer each year in the UK.

Dr Louise Wilkinson, NHS national speciality adviser for breast screening and consultant radiologist, said: 'Breast screening saves lives by allowing cancers to be identified and treated earlier – in fact, discovering breast cancer at the earliest stage may give you a 98% chance of surviving for five years or more.

'Screening can often pick up breast cancer before you can even see or feel any changes to your breasts yourself and your mammographer will do everything she can to make the experience as comfortable as possible for you, which is why I would urge anyone invited to take up the offer.'

NHS England is also asking women of all ages to be aware of their breast health and to know how to check themselves for cancer symptoms.