INSPECTORS found doctors were using decade-old equipment to screen women for breast cancer.

Public Health England officials found the Park Centre breast screening clinic in Brighton faced “significant challenge”.

Women between the ages of 50 and 71 are supposed to be tested every three years as they are most at risk of developing breast cancer.

But a report earlier this month found Brighton and Sussex University Hospital Trust, which screens women for breast cancer in East Sussex, had not met this standard for two and a half years.

Inspectors raised concerns about old equipment at the clinic when they visited in September.

“Much of the equipment used by the service is more than ten years old and there is no confirmed plan for its replacement,” the report said. “There is a particular risk with the stereotactic biopsy unit as the service has only one and there is no backup.”

Public Health England officials also worried staffing shortages meant not enough women were being screened.

“The service does not have enough radiography staff and is unable to provide sufficient clinic slots for women waiting to be screened,” they said.

“There is no cover for the clinical nurse specialist when she is on leave.”

But despite the risks, the report said the trust had made “good progress” since the last breast cancer care inspection four years ago.

It said: “The East Sussex breast screening service meets or exceeds most key performance indicators.

“Clinical and professional standards are high.”

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust chief medical officer Dr George Findlay said it was now replacing dated equipment thanks to new funding.

But he added there were no “quick fixes” for staff shortages.

“Since the Public Health England’s visit, we have also been awarded £1.25 million of new funding to replace all breast screening equipment that is more than ten years old,” he said.

“We now have orders placed for a new CT scanner and three mammography units, all of which we expect to come into service this spring.

“The difficulties we have had in meeting the standard for screening rounds are mainly due to the shortage of radiographers being experienced nationwide.

“However, we have taken a number of innovative steps.

“We’re ‘growing our own’ radiographers by making it possible for our own staff to work their way up through the ranks.”