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.

I'm torn on this one - the mammographers do touch your breasts trying to get them in to position - I wouldn't really want a man doing this on his own as is it quite intimate. Would you be entitled to ask for a chaperone?

Last year I had an operation in my groin area and the male surgeon always got a chaperone in - in fact he had to have a stamp in the notes to say a chaperone had been present on examination. I've had gynae procedures carreid out by males, but there has always been a female nurse there so in fact this could backfire in that other members of staff would need to be present.

Yes, I'd rather my life was saved over worry about a man touching my boob, but surely a chaperone is to protect the man as well as the woman. Also, the whole procedure is very quick, 10 mins if that.

That’s personal to you so just request a female, but don’t dictate what the rest of us would be okay with.

I would have a real problem with this. I know it is my problem but I even feel uncomfortable being groped by a female stranger.

Would they need to have a chaperone present? The one time a male GP gave me a breast exam (which didn’t bother me) he called a female nurse into the room. Not sure if that’s required protocol or if he was just covering his arse tbh.

I feel differently about gynae though and would always wait for a woman to be available if poss.

Fair enough

Your point about the hug really struck me. In a professional capacity a male medical person could do whatever they needed to my body, I'm not fussed in the least - it's the process I find traumatic not the person doing it. HOWEVER, a topless hug in a moment of need? A male couldn't even consider doing that despite it being something you needed at the time - it's not even a question of me being bothered by it (I wouldn't personally be), it simply could not happen, a man could not do that.

And now I'm thinking of it, every stressful med thing I've have has been made more bearable by a woman doing it or being on hand by virtue of being chatty & human.

It's not your problem. It's completely normal not to want a man to give you a mammogram.

It wouldn’t bother me. A healthcare professional is a healthcare professional as far as I’m concerned regardless of their sex. I do understand that others might feel differently.

This was my experience too.
The male plastic surgeon was the most kindest, respectful professional ever.

I’ve had one, and was surprised how much manhandling is involved. For my first one, I’m very glad it was a woman. That said, I would consider a man next time, now I know what’s involved, if it was chaperoned and I had a choice to change my mind.

Mind you I’m not sure if feel the same about a smear test.

Ive always felt more comfortable with someone older regardless of gender than someone younger. I'm not sure why, maybe because they've had more years doing it so I feel like it's more routine to them, or because they seem to show less awareness of the fact it might be embarrassing.
I felt more awkward having a speculum done by a woman who looked about 25 (she seemed lovely but I just felt more uncomfortable about it) than when I had a man who was about 60 and very matter of fact and quick with the discussion before etc.

That's quite easy actually. The medical staff don't manhandle your genitals during a smear. Just insert a speculam and scrape

This is a disgusting way to minimize the experiences of trauma of women who’ve experienced male violence. Some of these women would be retraumatised by intimate care being performed by a man. Some women can’t even have male workmen in their homes. I have a friend who can’t even sit with her back to a door due to male violence. She always has to position herself to see who is coming towards her.

You are happy with males performing mammograms and thats great. There’s no need to ridicule those who aren’t.

Yes @SpecsAndSlippers I agree with this. I think that’s how I felt but couldn’t articulate clearly. Also @HepzibahGreen I agree with you. It’s not about being precious. It also doesn’t matter how many men have previously have seen or handled our breasts. Presumably in our relationships? Believe me I have had plenty! It’s about the actual intimate procedure of the mammogram.

Some very insensitive comments on this thread.

Most of us will have been affected by cancer. My grandmother died of it in her 50s. My mother had it. My child had it. I absolutely do not want to get it. I also don’t want to have a mammogram with a male HCP.

I find it quite sad that those of us who want to have an intimate examination done by a woman are sneered at.

I found the male staff who gave me breast radiotherapy kinder and more understanding than the female staff. Maybe they were overcompensating as they perceived I may have been more uncomfortable.

I think I’ll walk away if my next mammogram is with a man. It will only be my second. I definitely would have walked away if it was my first.

I would also happily train up to do this myself if only the option was there to do so.

I’m not actually sure how much pressure on staff would be relieved by allowing men to do this job. There are not that many men in these lower positions in the NHS (I’m an HCA, there are only 2 males on my ward to 20 women). I therefore think there’s more to this than just staff pressures. It’s more forcing women to accept men in positions requiring a lot of touching.

I am not minimising. I've experienced SA.

So if you arrived to let’s say an ultra sound appointment that you’d waited weeks for and a man was going to be conducting the procedure, you’d walk away?

They are male nurses and have seen loads of boobs and don't care. When I was a nurse I would put male catheters in.

Well said!

There are so many youngsters out there who want jobs, there are so many student nurses being told there’s no jobs for them after being used to work on the wards, to gain nothing more than a huge lifelong debt. We need staff, we’re overworked and underpaid, but finances mean there’s no jobs anywhere. The government don’t give a damn about relieving staff pressures! There’s more going on.

How would the ability to request a chaperone relieve staff pressures? Getting two people to do a job one can do? Just train up the woman chaperone ffs! No, definitely something else going on here.

Choice really matters to me, I almost always ask for a female practitioner when it comes to examinations. There was one time I arrived for an internal scan, having requested a woman, but a male was assigned instead. Luckily, a female was available and able to step in. That said, I did have a male midwife during one of my births, and he was the best midwife I had across all my deliveries.

I work in a hospital and I do understand why most woman would prefer a female nurse or doctor to examine them- I do myself- Where possible we oblige. With the major shortage of staff sometimes unfortunately personal preference can’t be guaranteed. We do sometime have to uses other staff to chaperone such as a female receptionist porter or cleaner if the patient is adamant. Not ideal situation but sometimes the only option. staff burn out etc is a really big issue.

@Enigma53 Yes - in fact if you check my last comment, I did exactly that. Turned up for an internal ultrasound having requested a woman and it was a man. I almost went through with it but was shaking and thought I was going to be sick, so had to leave.

I was furious to have been put in this position. To be fair, they were very apologetic and rescheduled the appointment for me with a female technician. So yes, I would not accept an appointment with a male technician. Even at a risk to my own health, I couldn't do it.