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.

Yes, they will need a chaperone - chaperones are very cheap salary-wise and require minimal training (not degree level qualifications etc unlike a radiographer).
I would say a chaperone is important whether the examination is being done by same sex or opposite.

I did and wasn't told in advance that it would be a man. There was a nurse there in the room. Didn't enter my head to complain and not go ahead. I was more nervous about having it done.
My breast consultant who also performed the surgery and reconstruction was male it didn't bother me at all. The least painful smear I have had was done by a male Dr.

Having previously had breast cancer and now under the care of a male consultant, I'm amazed this isn't already a thing. I've had a male perform ultrasounds, biopsies etc. Wondering if it's different because I go privately, although I don't think I've had a male perform a mammo privately either.

I guess people should have a choice, but I'm so over worrying about medical professionals poking and prodding my boobs.

For me it is situational. I have no problem with whoever doing a mammogram in a busy, bustling hospital, or breast unit.
I do have a problem being alone with a man manipulating my breasts in a portacabin on Morrisons car park.

Students nurses cannot become radiographers - it is a whole different profession and they will need to do a different degree course and period of post graduate training!

Agree and it doesn't take a genius to work it out.

I haven't been a victim of SA, and haven't any religious reasons, I'm sure everyone would be totally professional and I of course would be glad of appointment or treatment but I just would not like it. I do lots of things I don't like, however I'd rather have a choice, especially in a vulnerable situation. If I don't get a choice I don't get to choose but I'd rather have a choice.

It seems it does.
You can’t just “train up” nurses to become mammographers.
Having a chaperone is not two people doing one job - the salary scales and training time are worlds apart. There won’t be two trained mammographers in the room - one doing the procedure and the other being the chaperone.

IME there are always two members of staff in the mobile units. Both female. One is a receptionists and the other is a radiographer.

I wonder how many people commenting have actually had a mammogram? Not a breast exam, a mammogram. Because generally it’s only going to be over 50s (or high risk).
I had my first mammogram a year or so ago. There’s a lot of boob handling and manipulation and leaning into you. I’d not have liked to have had a man do this.

And those saying “I’m sure you’ve had a man see/handle your breasts before” well yes, but each time it was sexual. Part of a sexual experience!
By comparing treatment by a male HCP to a sexual experience you’re actually weakening the argument for males doing mammograms, not strengthening it.

I find mammograms traumatic anyway. I know that this isn’t everyone’s experience, but it’s mine. I was originally going to say that it should always be a female radiographer, but having thought about the mammograms I’ve had, I actually think that the attitude of the radiographer is the most important issue. I’ve even considered paying privately for screening in the hopes that the radiographer would be a bit more understanding of how difficult this can be for some( possibly a minority) of women.
Thinking back, I’ve had other procedures eg ECG, breast exam by GP, performed by men who were much more kind, respectful and caring than my experience with female radiographers who’ve done my mammograms. So surprisingly, I’d actually be ok with this in principle. However, there should always be the option of a female radiographer for those who want it.

Don’t be daft and inappropriate - it’s NOTHING like requesting a staff member of another ethnicity.

Mammograms are very personal/ intimate (can need a LOT of manipulation to get in the right position), can be very painful, and many women already don’t turn up for their appointments. I can absolutely see that many women would NOT want to see a male radiographer.

All should have a choice in a non-emergency situation, which an outpatient mammogram appointment would be. Mammograms are never done in an emergency situation.

I’ve had yearly mammograms since the age of 40 because of my family history. It’s the experience of having them that makes me strongly object to having them performed by a man.

It's not to make someone else happy. It's so I don't die 😂

I understand why they are suggesting this but I personally would be really uncomfortable with a male radiographer. Even more so for me would be a cervical smear test being done by a man. The right to choose is essential.

Of course. It wouldn't cross my mind to feel I could or should specify the gender of the clinician carrying out a medical exam or procedure/screening.

I think things are as they should be: patients have the right to express a preference, and the right to decline treatment if it's by a person whose gender they don't accept, and the NHS will attempt to meet that preference. However patients don't have the right to choose the gender of their clinician. That is simply impossible to guarantee. Not every healthcare setting has equal numbers of male and female clinicians all available simultaneously.

Just pointing this out as a lot of people misunderstand and believe that patients have the right to choose. They don't. That's impractical.

I think it’s a bit patronising to suggest that unless you’ve had a mammogram you can’t comment on whether you’d be happy to have a man do it. I haven’t, but I know I am happy for a male HCP to examine me where necessary. I simply do not care.

If others do, that’s fine, they should absolutely be entitled to have a woman do it, no questions asked.

Suddenly someone to operate a bit of equipment - and manhandle a woman’s breasts - needs to be a qualified degree profession does it?

Go back a few years to when I worked in education and there were plenty of (paid for) NHS CPD courses; I can remember there being a 1 yr training certificate in the use of this equipment.

Tell us what’s really going on, so soon after the court judgement that biology matters.

I don't care wether Thier male or female as long as they do the job right 😊 it was a male doctor that caught my cervical cancer in time who knows if I'd be alive now if I waited for a woman doctor

Agreed. Like I said in an earlier post I've had them from 30s every year so that's 20 plus and even though they are quick, someone is manipulating each boob onto the machine and positioning with their hands by pulling the breast up and onto the plate before the mechanism squishes it, which does hurt, in two positions, with your hands instructed to be gripping the machine above elbow height, naked waist up. Anything that makes it less difficult is welcome. If that means a female radiographer that's preferable for me, anyway.

The thought that it could be a man doing your mammogram would put many women off attending. Most women who go for mammograms do not already have a problem so it isn't the same as emergency clinical care. I hate them so much I've actually just not gone for my last one and if you added male practitioners into the mix many more would be put off. Screening does not feel urgent which is why we do everything we can to make it a straightforward experience.

I suppose you could create a car park clinic staffed in a mixed way and offer that to people who don't mind but women have to know what to expect before they go and I think they have a right to expect female are in this area.

Fix the staffing problem by training more women not by diluting the service offered.

This!

I've had all kinds of invasive investigations plus a male sutured up my episiotomy and I didn't bat an eye.

Mammograms are very different. Your breasts are literally manhandled and squashed between plates. There is not a chance I want a man doing that. Just awkward and embarrassing for both parties.

If you haven't had a mammogram you are not in a position to comment - it isn't really like any other procedure and is nothing like breast examination