To think that having a mammogram carried out by a man is preferable to a long wait for an appointment.

I also meant to say that of course I would rather see a male health care practitioner for a mammogram than have to wait if I found a lump, but I agree with Kemi Badenoch (this pains me to be on the same page as her as I’m a socialist) on this why should women have to compromise ? The answer is to do more to recruit staff needed and keep them.

I completely agree, having had a male breast consultant remove a small lump under local anaesthetic did not feel anywhere near as intimate (for me anyway) as what happens during a mammogram. It’s hard to explain but I think it’s all the handling of the breasts and pulling about at close quarters. Absolutely agree with what others have said about if it was men who had to have their penis squashed flat in between two plates they would be looking for another method !

I agree about it being different in the mobile units, the space is very limited. The last time I was there I wasn’t given a gown was told to strip to the waist in the changing room and walk into the room where the radiographer was then sit answer some questions etc I’m guessing this is just to confirm name date of birth etc I can’t remember then wait while they set got the machine ready which wasn’t long. It would have made me feel very uncomfortable if that was with a male. I can’t remember but I think the time before that I was told to leave my bra on then go into the room and take it off there when the radiographer was ready. Like others have said it feels more intimate than a gynae exam (I’ve had loads of these done by male staff) as they are very close to your face and literally “manhandling” your breasts.
I get that the thing with having no gowns etc saves the NHS money and time. I don’t get how it would help the shortages though as surely you would need a chaperone or at least make one available to those who wanted it. I’m also not sure how the option of choice would work as don’t know how far in advance the NHS would know which staff would be working on the mobile unit.

I know, which is what I stated.

Personally I think that should be the same too. Anyone should be able to study any subject that they want but if as a society we need you to study certain areas these should cost less and be offset with a period of time working for the NHS or for state education etc.,

So there is a shortage of radiographers and if more become specifically mammogram , then the shortage elsewhere will be worse ?

There is a shortage of radiographers and a mammographer is a specialised radiographer. As such there most definitely is a shortage of mammographers.

I don’t think that’s fair. What about other areas with shortages such as teaching and IT? They could leave the NHS straight after their time with a free degree.

Absolutely right, @Jumpers4goalposts.

That’s not what I said don’t twist my words.

What do you mean? There’s a national shortage of radiographers.

So you only want women who have had a mammogram to perform one?

15 posts do not a shortage make. There is not a shortage of female mammographers - where's your data and statistics, please?

For all those talking about huge staff shortages so the only answer is a man, look at the number of vacancies for mammographers nationwide. You may be surprised…

I think the best way to solve shortages is to remove tuition fees for medical courses where there are shortages or where we are anticipating shortages and instead offset it against a period of time working within the NHS.

Not irrelevant to women who have been raped or sexually assaulted and would find intimate procedures by a man retraumatizing.

But I'm this scenario you'd have just had your appointment cancelled with today's rules of women only. So you'd be no worse off if you got there and there were only men and you had to cancel

That is their right, you can't force medical treatment or intervention on anyone. Same as people of certain religions declining blood transfusions. That's their right.

Somehow (for me) a mammogram is so up close and personal it feels intimate in a way that a smear or whatever doesn't
I have had breast exams and ultrasound for lumps which again didn't feel so personal

And I find mammograms very painful - I would not like a man to do them

Having been sexually abused by a nurse in ICU when I was in my teens, I'm afraid I don't have quite such a universally idealised perception of medical professionals. As a result, I genuinely struggle with being in hospitals at all, and feeling so vulnerable.

@JudithOnHolidayAgain I had my routine mammogram yesterday and the radiographer did not know a thing about this!! she agreed that women would not be amenable to this happening!

I still feel that if men had to put their willies into a machine to have it crushed, then they would be looking for an alternative way to check for lumps!!*

I’m currently going through chemo for breast cancer and would never put off screening just because a man was doing it. I’d prefer a woman, yes. But if it was the choice between catching a cancer slightly earlier with a male carrying out a mammogram - or a few mm bigger waiting for a female, it’s a no brainer. Generally, the earlier you catch it = the less brutal the treatment. Chemo sucks way more than a male radiographer touching your boob for a few seconds…

x

I can appreciate it to a degree - high grade DCIS in two areas of my right breast for which the only option was full mastectomy. Female breast surgeon but male plastic surgeon for reconstruction. 100% saved my life.

My annual mammogram is in a few weeks and I still wouldn't want a man carrying it out.

A male mammographer wouldn’t necessarily be a barrier as long as there is a choice. But l think women have to accept that you can’t force healthcare professionals to specialise in any one area. So if female staff shortages persist, there will be an expectation of delay if you specify a female mammographer. From the responses here l suspect that many women would opt for a male mammographer rather than wait, so perhaps this would mitigate the waiting times and free up more female staff.

GA isn’t offered for vasectomy unless there’s a medical reason - simple fear of the procedure is not a valid reason because of the risk a GA poses, as opposed to a local. I’ve known two men who’ve had vasectomies. In each case a GA was necessary because complications were anticipated. In each case they waited longer because of the preparation needed - pre op assessment, a bed in a day ward and the involvement of a anaesthetist. As l said before, this is not specifically female issue.