The Cornish Mermaid roadshow

I wouldn't want to holiday in one, but the other day I walked past the latest in Cornish fancy caravans - a new breast screening unit - and it made me glad. It was sparkly NHS-blue and white, and proclaimed its ability to bring "care closer to your home". It was sitting outside the Mermaid Centre, Cornwall's wonderful breast screening clinic.

I like the idea of the Mermaid Roadshow. Instead of traipsing in to Truro, sometimes on rural buses that turn a half hour journey into three, women will be able to have their mammograms (and results) on their doorstep. I hope they remember to take the tea urn and the custard creams that we get at the Mermaid. Music would be good too - when I went for my first mammogram, the music ranged from Ella Fitzgerald to Neil Diamond. It took my mind off things. I suppose it would be a bit much to expect them to install an aquarium and a few paintings here and there. Oh well. What the roadshow's got that the Mermaid hasn't is proximity to your bed: you'll be able to leave the screening unit and know that in a relatively shorter time you can roll into bed and throw the covers over your head, leaving Neil Diamond, Ella Fitzgerald and the custard creams behind you.