Allow Male Workers to perform mammograms and breast screening

[CrakdEgg]

OK, so the Society & College of Radiographers have their annual delegates conference, where members bring forward motions for the union to lobby on.
In the past they have passed motions to 'remove gendered language' from health communications for inclusivity - you know, 'pregnant people' and the like. They then lobby behind the scenes to the Government to follow these requests.

This year we have this motion -

Allow Male Workers to Perform Mammograms

Workforce shortages: there are 15 posts for mammographers on NHS jobs. In the UK.

But are we bothered? Do we not want males in this space, or does it not matter because we have male gynaecologists? Or will it dissuade women from attending?

I am interested to hear other people's opinions. My instincts say 'no way Jose', but I am interested in keeping males out of female spaces, so I accept my bias.

Thoughts?

I'm not actually sure (helpful!). Had a breast lump examined many years ago, the male consultant made me feel really uncomfortable, squeezed my nipples in an odd way. No idea if it was normal or inappropriate. I've also been made to feel dreadful by a male gynae.
But at the same time I don't recognise some of the descriptions of mammograms from above. The radiographers at our unit never approach from behind, or manoeuvre your boobs from behind. They are always at the side, I kind of feel they are trained this way? Would feel very uncomfortable with a male standing behind and doing this.

In ontology at least there are about 25% male cartographers and it is very much advertised as an equal sex opportunity at college and through work experience. There is an amount of frustration trying to find all female teams when there are patients that demand no males In a room and sometimes it is logistically impossible to provide an all female service. You would have to sex bias in interview to ensure all female representation and that is illegal.

I see both sides but this tricky.

If there are lots of w

Did you mean cartographers, @mids2019? They draw maps.

Thinking about this a bit further…trans women who have been on hormones need to have mammograms too because they have breast tissue and increased risk of cancers. So how can it be a female only space?

Difference between a mammography and a gynae examination is that a gynaecologist has undergone years of medical training, whereas a mammographer undergoes far less in terms of
time, in mind making it an easier ‘in’ for men wanting access to women in a medical setting.

God no
The world is going backwards

I’ve had a male radiographer scan my vagina, I’m really not bothered about a male doing my mammogram as long as he’s professional.

Now the stuff has disappeared from online, I'm wondering whether the persons who were campaigning for this removal of the only single sex space left in the NHS were TW.

I didn't even know men don't do mammograms! I thought I just got a female by chance.
I'm supposed to have yearly ones, they're so busy it turns into 14-15 month ones and has done for quite a few years - last twice having them done on bank holidays, overtime for the staff, who are happy to do it as they (or ones I have seen at least) worry about lists. So if this could bring it down then it would be a good thing.
I don't enjoy mammograms but male/female equally fine by me - I've had 10 if anyone wonders if I know what I'm talking about. I've had a male dr staring eye level at chest for abnormalities and doing other procedures including x ray of chest which is wandering in half naked! I actually think when it's a procedure, as in they're busy organising some part of your body it's easier than just looking/prodding for info but that's my opinion - I've given up taking my dignity into hospital over the years, but apply that to seeing men/women alike!
I do think women should have the option, and some need the option, and I imagine a chaperone will be around, but I'm offered this in other intimate procedures so it would be the same and that way everyone still has preferences met. I actually can't really see why males can't do mammograms as all options and care would be the same as other intimate stuff.
Elderly care has this issue in that females don't like males doing their care, and often vice versa though I do think more women end up requiring care anyway (could be wrong) - this can't be completely facilitated any more but not many folk discuss this issue.

I think the main problem is that about 40% of women don’t take up offer of a routine mammogram. If you assume that at least some of this is due to concern about the process, then you don’t want to create additional barriers.

...or they were TRA? The whole thing is making me uneasy:
Knowing it's the only female space in the UK
Lobbying for this after the SCR
Removing it from public view when patients take an interest.

But there are some good points made on here, and some people clearly won't mind the mammogram being done by a man.

I don't quite agree with medic = well trained, 'nice', thoroughly professional

AHP = low skill (relatively), bit dodgy(?), more likely to be attracted to the profession for wrong reasons.

Still stand by the point of you want single sex examinations then it should include all professions or else we are treating make ahps unfierly .

I read this on the BBC this morning and my visceral gut reaction was that I really wouldn't want a man doing my mammogram.

I had one last month and felt so vulnerable exiting the changing room topless and standing there while the radiographer asked the required questions and explained the process. Standing topless with a man explaining/going through the checklist would have been excruciatingly uncomfortable for me. Similarly having another fully clothed person in the room acting as chaperone looking at me would have been awful too.

I actually find the whole standing in a room topless while talking to another fully clothed person more uncomfortable than the radiographer lifting and squeezing the breast into the machine to be honest.

I say all of this as someone who has had a male midwife, lots of internal exams over the years, including biopsies etc...done by male staff and not cared one jot. I think mammograms are very different to smears and other gyne exams in terms of the level of exposure and vulnerability.

It's a no from me.

Fair enough. Still find it pretty offensive in this porn drenched society but if your comfortable with it.

I think that once a reason for treatment has been identified (including more regular monitoring) it’s reasonable to assume that a large number will prioritise speed of treatment over sex of HCP.

No, absolutely not.

Thsnk you, I was aware.

It's completely different. Breasts are sexualised by men in a way that vaginas aren't.

In my early twenties, I prolapsed a couple of discs in my back. Went to see a male consultant, who insisted on giving me a thorough breast exam with no chaperone present. He clearly got off on it. Nowadays, I would absolutely refuse. It has stayed with me and I'm 57 now.

It's painful enough with female operators who understand and empathise as they actually know what it's like. I don't find them embarrassing BTW, it's a necessary procedure.

It's the thought that a strange man would be manipulating my breasts and I have been groped so many times and not just in a medical setting.

So its a no from me, I would refuse screening if a male was doing it.

Let’s focus on getting women who have no choice in the matter screened first.

To be honest I’m not that bothered about men who choose to pump themselves full of female hormones, especially when there’s a shortage of those hormones for women.

Women-centred healthcare.

Thanks for your mansplaining, but it’s not your decision to make is it? How about you make your choices and we’ll make ours.

I've had many male gynaecologists, obstetricians and a male midwife. I choose whoever is best qualified and provides the highest level of care regardless of gender.

How do you choose? Are you told beforehand?

That’s great for you, but not all women feel the same way, especially SA survivors or those women who come from a very religious background. We should be able to choose.

Do they show you their CV’s and their patient approval ratings? 😂