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

[JudithOnHolidayAgain]

I know many people who wouldn't be here now without early detection of breast cancer due to the screening programme.
I have had a few myself.
It's not something I look forward to but it's a few minutes of discomfort that could save my life so I put up with it.
Given the choice I would prefer a woman carry it out as it is quite intrusive but as there is a shortage of female staff I would be ok with a male member of staff as long as there was a chaperone and Iwas told in advance.
If they do change the rules I think there should be a choice.

Everyone does have the choice.

It's a non issue.

That is very true. I perhaps should have added ‘without that extending your wait time too much’ to my sentence.

The only single sex female space in the NHS.

Nearly 70% of radiographers are female so there should be no need for a male radiographer to carry out mammograms. If a chaperone is required then it means two members are staff are required for a procedure which only takes one and that the patient is undressed in front of two people rather than one. Neither of those options seems efficient or protective of patient dignity.

See Im in similar situation bpob wise but I wouldn't care about a man handling them. TBH far more men than women have seen and touched my breasts over the years. And a mammogram isn't in the slightest bit sexual

Do you think female nurses should catheterise men or carry out other intimate examinations? Because nursing remains a female dominated profession, and by your logic, men would never be treated.
And yes, women are capable of abusing men. And killing children.

Wouldn't bother me in the least but I totally understand why for some it would be an issue that would require a heads-up. Choice is key here though I'm not sure how that would work practically speaking? If it was a bloke (of any description!) & the patient didn't want to see them what would happen if a woman wasn't available? Would we need a mark on our files to say we're happy to be seen by either sex? Or a 'female only' marker?

It wouldn’t necessarily bother me personally to be seen by a man, but it’s important everyone has a proper choice, which is clearly communicated.

But since there (presumably) needs to be a chaperone, it then amounts to paying two people to do the job of one. So I can’t imagine it will be cost effective for many health trusts.

Personally I absolutely loathe having a chaperone for a procedure, I hate the idea of someone there just watching rather than at least being focussed on the job they have to do, having to be vulnerable in front of two people rather than just one (I totally understand they are for staff protection, and I can’t reasonably ask for them not to be there).
But it’s the chaperone that would put me off, if it was a routine screen, more than the male radiographer, and would probably mean I would prefer to wait for an appointment with a female radiographer, if that choice existed.

Absolutely would be unbothered. All my recent experiences were male specialists with female chaperone.

They were always super clear around consent, respectful and considerate and the accompanying female nurses the same.

Never felt at all uncomfortable and I’d take this any day over longer, possibly time critical, waits.

Is there a particular reason why? Does no man ever see your boobs anyway?

I had my first mammogram recently and I was quite shocked by it. They really grab and push you into position repeatedly. It was forceful. ( I do have small breasts). If this has been done by a man I would have been upset, rather than being able to laugh about it later. If I had a history of sexual violence I would have found it traumatizing

I agree. It’s not some vanity thing where we think our breasts are so sexy and we are being precious.
I had breast cancer. During the mammogram, right after the doctor assessed the lump, I burst into tears ( I absolutely hate mammograms I find them so painful and I was already traumatised) The female mammographer came around from the machine and put her arms round me and gave me a hug which I appreciated. Obviously I was topless.
Prior to the surgery I had to have wires pushed through my breast. Two female mammographers had to sort of hold me in a vice while they injected me with things and carried out a procedure that was more painful than the surgery.
It took around an hour. They were amazing, kind and professional and I remember them getting me to chat a bit, sharing about their kids, anything to try and make the process bearable.
Mammograms can be really traumatic. The women who are expert at working there know this, they can relate. Men doing it, for me, would have felt humiliating and sadistic.
Given the choice I would not have a male mammographer. Train more women.

Done all intimate examinations have chaperones? I get regular internal exams after cervical cancer. My oncologist is female but always a nurse there as well

I was surprised to learn only females were permitted to perform mammograms. I'd assumed like any other medical procedure that anyone qualified would be able to.

I appreciate some women would opt to have a woman perform any intimate examination and that should be available on request. But personally I'd be happy for a man to do mine - no area's off limits to any qualified nurse or doctor as far as I'm concerned.

At one of my r/t sessions, due to sickness, the male radiographer asked if was ok for him to do the treatment, and offered a new session if it wasn't.
Of course it was. I experienced SA as a child, but am adult enough to trust the professional to be just that.
Trust me, no female breasts are sexually attractive when squashed between metal plates.
And how do you know your female nurse/radiographer/clinician isn't a lesbian who is happily fondling you? (Not dissing lesbians, just illustrating a point).

All my mammograms were carried out by female staff. Female surgeon operated and follow up consultations were with male consultant. I'm just grateful that they were all competent and have allowed me to live cancer-free for the subsequent 15 years. Not interested in what they keep in their underwear.

Women shouldn't have to choose between having their breasts manipulated by a man and cancer. What a vile dismissive comment.

I want a skilled professional regardless of their genitalia. My experience of gynaecologists is that the men were far more gentle than the women. My gp is also male and most urologists are too. You can always ask for a chaperone. Do we expect men to wait for a male nurse to be washed etc?

Thank you. It was a vile comment.

BC survivor with many many mammograms behind me. I find them more intimate than any other medical examination. You have almost full body contact while you are being positioned. And they can be very uncomfortable. I’m not concerned about a man doing this for kicks but I am concerned about s potential lack of empathy (and I would have no problem with men carrying out smears, internal ultrasounds, breast exams etc - it’s just mammograms that I really would cringe at)

@FedupofArsenalgame I think it's as a result of a deeply religious upbringing. Only my husband sees me undressed. I turned up for an internal ultrasound once and had requested a female technician but when I arrived it was a man. I left the appointment as couldn't go through with it - I thought I was going to vomit.

(Obviously I complained and rescheduled with a woman)

That’s bizarre that you’re okay with them around and literally in your genitals but not your boobs.

I think this is great. Anything to avoid dying earlier!

Can you explain why that is more intimate than smears?

It’s not disgusting. It’s reality. Men commit 98% of sexual assaults. Men as a class are a very real threat to women and being a professional” doesn’t stop that. And no, lesbians do not pose the same threat because they are women.

The surgeon in France who taped and sexually assaulted hundreds of children, often while under anaesthesia or recovering it was also a professional but it didn’t stop him from abusing his position and assaulting children.

He’s far from the only one either. I can think of multiple cases where Doctors and surgeons have assaulted patients including an anaesthetist orally raping a woman in Brazil during a C-Section.

Now the majority don’t but how are women supposed to know who will and who won’t? They have to be allowed to refuse male care in a non emergency situation without being shamed for it.

And even if the technician is gentle and considerate it can still be traumatic for many women who have been sexually assaulted to be touched and positioned by a man in the way that a mammogram requires.

My last mammogram was one of those 'dropped off in a car park' ones. There was literally one person there, handling reception, the actual mammogram, locking and unlocking doors so you could get in and out. In these situations there is no 'spare' person to chaperone. So - to have a male doing these examinations they would have to

1. pre warn people massively - you can have to travel for some time to get to one of these facilities, it shouldn't be a bullied choice of "Get your scan now with a bloke or off you fuck"
2. Pay an extra member of staff to chaperone

I just don't see that this would increase take up of the testing, though maybe that's the plan, do fewer tests, less NHS resource used.

Mine have been option to request additional chaperone if the nurse / doctor is female.

The male ones brought the chaperones regardless, which I understand why