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?

And do you think having a male mammographer will help to persuade those women who don't currently attend to make an appointment?

nope but when "virtually all women" aren't taking up mammogram invitations anyway, surely it can't be used as an argument either way?

They don't fail to attend because a woman will be doing the mammogram. Some women have said they don't mind a man doing it, nobody has said that they don't want a woman to do it. So yes, virtually all women accept a woman doing it.

You don’t get to make that choice for other women
So do women who disagree get to make the choice for me?
And how about male midwives, and gynaecologists? Or GPs? Perhaps some women don't want to talk to men about their medical issues?

So you would refuse to see a female mammographer?

Yes it can unless you think that one of the reasons why women are not having mammograms is because its a woman carrying them out rather than a man

As a Mammographer and trainer of mammographers, I’m glad the consensus seems to be that it should stay female only.

The mammography service that I have attended did not have a receptionist; women were checked in by the radiographer, as it was in a separate trailer unit with very little space. So there wouldn't have been a 'spare' potential chaperone in those circumstances.
I would refuse a male radiographer knowing how these tests need to be conducted. God they are awful. I thought smear tests were bad and can't believe that no better alternative has been found than squishing norks into a painful metal clamp.

Someone interviewed in the street on the tv said that there used to be male radiographers doing mammograms a long while back.
Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with men - they are medical professionals simply doing their job.
Nb. What happens with women who have had breast enlargements? Is there a chance they'd burst?

@ginnitonic Ultrasounds are more common place for those with breast augmentation. Even so, mammograms can still be performed. And no, they don't burst!) For those whose implants are part of the reconstruction process after breast cancer, an MRI can be more usual.

Well yes because the difference is you aren't put into a difficult situation where you feel potentially coerced or blackmailed into saying yes.

The point is you work from the vulnerability and least harms possible point of view rather than trying to shove your view down the neck of others that puts them into a situation which they find distressing.

HTH.

metal? it was clear plastic when i went. I am also a bit surprised at only one staff member, what if a patient collapsed?

before mammograms when screening breast exams were done manually, I have had mine checked by male staff. It was never a problem for me but I can see why others might not like it. It was in the early 70's when breast checks were done as part of contraceptive pill provision.

Bottom half metal, top half plastic when I went the other day.

There were two radiographers, each with their small booth in the trailer but no receptionist to assist them in the running of the clinic. The whole Unit was a trailer with all the equipment that gets moved from site to site, not a room in a hospital or clinic.

Ref the metal of the plates. May be I misremembered, however on the last occasion the plates were cold and hard and the whole process was effing uncomfortable, painful really. The radiographer asked me if I was okay after squishing my tits into the correct position for the X-ray. I told her to get it done though gritted teeth. On the basis that two minutes now was a good trade on catching a tumor early, if that's what the scan found.

I wonder if some women never return to have smear tests and mammograms after the first one?

the trailer setup is the same here but one mammographer and an admin person. So there were two staff members there?

Do you have a radiographer son?
Just asked male colleague if he would want to train for mammography. He said No, Mum would kill me if I did.
His mother does mammography and has very strong views on the subject apparently. Won’t even allow male students in the room.

Also, just for the record, he wouldn’t want to do it anyway.

Google just found me this article. From 2023. Arguing for allowing men to do mammograms, but funny enough, there's not a word here of staff shortages being the reason - it's all about whether it's properly a genuine occupational requirement to have an all female workforce and the present inequity of career opportunities because the role's not open to men in the NHS, and concludes:
"Moreover, recognizing the positive impact of a diverse healthcare workforce on patient satisfaction underscores the importance of these changes. It is also vital to address the ongoing exclusion of transgender men and non-binary individuals from breast screening roles and to explore ways to ensure that all individuals, regardless of gender identity, have equal opportunities in this field."
www.radiographyonline.com/article/S1078-8174(23)00176-1/fulltext

18 months later it's all about the staff shortages. Okaaaay....

Yes, two staff members - presumably didn't actually see the other one. I had in mind the idea mooted earlier that a chaperone might be a - presumably female - receptionist. My point was the staffing of these units might vary and chaperones might not be readily available.

I also wanted to point out the the location might make someone feel uneasy. I didn't particularly like sitting on my own, unacknowledged, in a trailer outside the main building waiting to strip to my waist, albeit for the best of reasons. Didn't have any interaction with the main reception in the clinic building as none was required. Bit isolating, on reflection.

As long as they behave in a professional manner it's no biggie.

If only this could be guaranteed life would be so much simpler.

Having sat on a fitness to practice panel for 10 years I am aware that male clinicians are just as likely to be sex pests as the rest of the population.

So you would refuse to see a female mammographer
Sorry, I don't understand.

"Moreover, recognizing the positive impact of a diverse healthcare workforce on patient satisfaction underscores the importance of these changes.”

is there a positive impact on patient satisfaction if men are included? Whilst there are plenty of posters on this thread and the other one saying “I wouldn’t mind” that’s not the same as a positive impact, saying “I’d love to have a man do it, it would be so much nicer”.

“It is also vital to address the ongoing exclusion of transgender men and non-binary individuals from breast screening roles and to explore ways to ensure that all individuals, regardless of gender identity, have equal opportunities in this field”

By transgender men are they meaning women who have transitioned? Well that’s a problem as they effectively self excluded from a female only service.
Begs the question that trans women (ie men) have been working in the service.
As for non-binary I assume women who identify as non-binary are still able to work in the roll.

"Moreover, recognizing the positive impact of a diverse healthcare workforce on patient satisfaction underscores the importance of these changes.”

Are these people capable of talking without a lot of pompous windbaggery? What on earth is all that about?

Women say no. You want 'patient satisfaction' then fuck off with trying to convince them that forcing men on them is in some way good for them.

Transmen - women

Non binary - women unless a man

Who is excluded precisely? Suddenly it’s men they’re desperate to allow in to manipulate women’s breasts - my BS radar is going off loud and clear.

It's word salad isn't it.

Smells like someone's now hit on the notion that "help help, staff shortages" will cut through where word salad didn't wash. But it's really more about what the men want, not about the noble cause of getting more women attending screening mammograms. I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked.