AIBU to ask the Breast Screening Programme to stop sending me appointments?

[CoconutRing]

I have made an informed choice not to have breast screening. I understand that the NHS have limited funds and to save time and money, I have written to my local Health Authority to request that I am removed from the invitation list.

For the third time, I have received an invitation, with an appointment time for a screening I do not want. I rang to cancel the last two appointments as a matter of courtesy as I thought that another woman may wish to take advantage of the appointment.

Each time I rang to cancel, I got the third degree as to why I was cancelling. I do not have to explain my choices to a faceless HCP, but I remained polite.

Would I be unreasonable just to ignore this letter as my wish not to be invited has been ignored?

WWYD?

Why not check your breasts?
How hard is it to give them a grope when you are in the shower? That is how I found my tumour and how many people I know found them.

Not opting for screening because it is deeply flawed is one thing - see this all pro-screening peeps -
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/breast-cancer-screening-has-not-reduced-mortality-rates-warns-study-8653761.html

But just not keeping an eye on your health is sad to hear.
I wouldn't wish what myself and my family have been through with this shitty disease on my worst enemy.
But each to their own ....

The OP has a right to decline these tests.

I do have them myself as that is what I decided is the less risky option.

HOWEVER - there are many people and scientists who believe that people are over diagnosed as the OP mentioned. It is harmful to be over diagnosed. The treatments for cancer cause huge amounts of harm to the body. With cancer treatments the body becomes a battleground and either the cancer wins or the treatment wins. It has been described as kill or cure. A lot of people die because of the damage done by chemo etc before they die of cancer.

I used to get similar letters from the local breast screening unit. What annoyed me was that those were not invitations to access their services, but were appointments they had made without any involvement by me.

I do realise that by making such appointments they probably have a better uptake, but to me it was as though I was being given little choice in the matter - either turn up or contact to change/cancel the appointment. Which was an appointment I'd never asked for in the first place.

What was worse, in my mind, was the appointment times were rather strange - times such as 10:17 or 15:39. All I could imagine was that they are figured out how many breasts they could do in a session and worked out the schedule accordingly, a bit like a factory production line. Given that most women feel a bit anxious going for a mammogram, it can't really help if they then have to remember that their appointment is for two minutes after quarter past ten, or one minute before twenty to four.

Anyway, as those were unsolicited mail, I just threw them in the bin.

I had my first mammogram this week. The appointment was an hour later than booked. This was because everyone turned up. They said they have more bookings than they have time for as they have a high rate of no shows. So they probably won't care if you don't turn up.

If I was running the programme, I would invite women to make an appointment if they wished to be screened.

I find the practice of sending the appointment with the "invitation" patronising. How can there be informed consent if an appointment is made on the assumption that you will attend? Why is the onus on me to cancel the appointment, when I haven't opting into the programme?

I'm not surprised that there are a lot of no-shows.

My breast cancer was discovered by use of the screening programme, I don't need the PAP test as I have had a hysterectomy. If the screening had not been offered to me this year I would have developed an even more aggressive form of cancer and had a less optimistic prognosis.

Coconut. The appts are made because people would only get around to making their appt after the screening van had moved on. It is more efficient and cost effective to send one appt letter offering a date and time and ask people to phone to rearrange or cancel.

If screening was a private company you would ring to choose an appt but then you'd have already opted in. Access to private healthcare is on a completely different footing than access to NHS. (The biggest factor being people's perception of things sometimes! )

TiredDog, the screening van that I could use hasn't moved in over three years!

TiredDog - The screening unit I was "invited" to attend is permanently based in the local hospital.

sydlexic - Your experience shows how inefficient the system is. It can't be good for everyone to be rushed through their appointments because the clinic was overbooked.

Ah! I'm v rural and it visits infrequently

I understand why you don't want the screening.

After reading The Patient Paradox I was iffy about them as well.

I have a while to decide yet though.

Can I ask why you don't check your breasts?

I have also heard that most people who check them have no idea what they are looking for.

I check mine all the time though as I have health anxiety.

I've had breast cancer. I was about, ooooh, 23 years too young for the national screening programme.

I mention that because I STILL believe it's the OP's choice to opt out of screening. It's none of our business why she doesn't want it. She was asking if she was being unreasonable in wanting them to stop sending information.

shewhowines Why am I amazed by the thread ( not in a good way)?
Because the OP is whining about a letter sent through her door every so often giving her the opportunity to attend a screening appt.
An appt. she can politely decline more than once if need be.
What does the OP want? Less mail? Are the letters really clogging up her mail box? Just phone them up, say thanks but no thanks and 'I'll be ignoring any further invitations'.
The NHS are providing a service without which some people would not be here now. If OP doesn't want to go, don't go.
I wonder what the OP's thoughts are on Breast Cancer treatment? I wonder if she would be interested in screening or a scan if she were to find a lump herself?

MrsLouis

I am sure she would have treatment, why wouldn't she?

Not going for screening is a perfectly valid choice. What does that have to do with treatment if she ever found a lump?

Perhaps you should read this

www.amazon.co.uk/Patient-Paradox-Sexed-Medicine-Health/dp/1780660006

samu Thanks but I am not interested in reading the book. I understand that an obsession with looking at every single cell in our body for disease through a constant stream of screening sessions is not cost effective or helpful.
However, I am in favour of screening because without it, my DM and DS are unlikely to be here today. Both of their cancers were caught at stage one after they were screened routinely. They had no idea beforehand that anything was the matter.

Should read "However, I am in favour of screening for cancer because without it..."

I'm too young for breast screening but I don't have smears and have explained why not to my GP and no longer get letters. The letters caused me distress. There should be an option to opt out of the system.

If I had not been screened (7 years ago this week) I would probably be dead or dying by now. It picked up a 'subtle' but aggressive cancer that I hadn't felt. You are lucky they go on bothering and I hope you are not one of the 1 in 8 women in the UK who will get bc, because if you are and have not picked it up early the consequences could be fatal.

^ what greylady says ^

Sorry mrslt, I misunderstood you.

YANBU to make an informed choice. My mum said the same thing. I decided she was wrong and bossed her into getting a private breast scan. I'm not ashamed of pushing her, I was right, she was wrong.

YABU to moan about letters. Get over it.
Why (the bloody hell) don't you even examine your own breasts?

I didn't have a smear for 10 years. A totally unexpected app with my local nurse resulted in her badgering me to book an app. Turns out if I'd left it another 12 months there's a good chance I wouldn't be here.
I agree with MrsLT, that's all I'm saying.

..why the bloody he'll don't you examine your own breasts?? That's what I hate about these screening programmes. The NHS makes it very difficult to decline our "invitations " . Then something about screening seems to make other women feel they can turn on non screeners and speak disrespectfully to them. Why the bloody he'll should she check them? I'm 53 and opted out of smears and mammograms. I don't check my breasts. I refuse to buy into the hype that because I'm a woman I'm a walking ticking cancerous time bomb just waiting to explode if I'm not regularly checked or self check. And I don't tell other women why the bloody he'll do you screen or check your breasts. My life my choice. Your life your choice

Kat786 why have you resurrected a 4 year old thread? I see from your other posts on here that you have a fervent 'anti-screening' programme opinion, and are determined to get that point of view across. Strange to actively seek out old threads though.