Women will benefit from a new purpose-built breast screening unit set to open later this year.

The new unit on the ground floor at Finchley Memorial Hospital is expected to be operational in June.

Finchley and Golders Green MP Mike Freer welcomed the news.

The MP had campaigned for the static unit, and agreement to build it was reached in 2016.

In 2017 local leaders joined Mr Freer in meeting the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt to discuss the campaign and other local health priorities.

He said: “Campaigning to see a permanent breast screening unit built at Finchley Memorial Hospital has been a priority for me for some years and I am very pleased it has now been given the go-ahead.

“I am particularly pleased that Barnet CCG is moving quickly to get this built and opened by the summer.

“It will be a real benefit to the thousands of local women that the hospital serves and will provide a vital life-saving service in a new purpose-built facility.

“I would like to thank Barnet CCG and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust for reaching this important agreement.”

Finchley Memorial Hospital's Head Tenant the Community Health Partnership will fund the money needed to convert two clinical rooms on the ground floor in agreement with Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group.