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?

A ban can't be prudish. A ban isn't capable of thought. You are calling women prudish for wanting same sex care.

I don't have X and that isn't on Threadreader. Would someone please make it appear in Threadreader.app?

Good point!

Especially as every single NHS trust is "trans captured" and claims that they can't provide a same-sex doctor on request in roles that aren't sex-restricted at hiring time because that would "out" their trans staff. They'll provide you one of the requested "gender", which means that one day I might turn up for my smear and be met by a bloke in lipstick. It's only because the single-sex exemptions are used at hiring time that mammographers are guaranteed to be female.

This is something that the "just ask for a woman" brigade need to consider.

Janice Turner X thread cut and pasted below.
I agree with every word.

What is most upsetting about the mammograms row is it is pitting women against women. "I don't mind having a man doing my scan if it saves me from breast cancer" Vs "It's intimate & painful – I only want a female radiographer."

The point here is this is a national screening programme, which is trying to persuade as many women as possible to get checked. Already mammogram take-up rates are v low. At this public facing point, the NHS needs to be as welcoming as possible to ALL women

Of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, those who have suffered sexual abuse or who are just modest, private people. This means saying: "this is a female only service - don't worry you will not have to show your breasts to a man." Sure, later on, if a lump is found you may have to see a male doctor, surgeon, oncologist. No one is saying these men won't be sympathetic, life-saving medics. But if you want as many women to walk through that FIRST door to get checked out, you need their full confidence.

It is so sad the Society of Radiographers decided to push the idea men should work in breast screening service rather than launch an uplifting recruitment drive aimed at welcoming young women into their profession. Telling them the difference they will make, the lives they can save. An excellent career choice.

I fear even since this story appeared, some women receiving an invitation for a mammogram will have hesitated & put it aside. And some will have a problem which could be picked up One fall-out of the cursed gender debate is it has become toxic to say women have any specific needs.

The breast screening programme is the only female-provided NHS service for a reason. It works. It saves women's lives. Build it up, don't knock it down. (And get a mammogram!) ends

Excellent X post from Janice Turner - thanks for sharing it @Mollyollydolly

This, I agree completely

Thank you, I agree.

Does anyone have a link to the poor woman who requested same sex care and had their letter shown to all and sundry by the NHS as an example of ‘transphobia’? Then there was a second woman who was lining up an entirely female team for urgent cancer surgery and rather than assure her of female care providers, the private hospital cancelled the operation.

You're on the wrong forum if you're calling women prudish under any circumstances.

Wouldn’t bother me whatsoever as long as they were competent, and yes I have mammograms. It’s a clinical setting. I chose a male obgyn when I had my kids as from the ones associated with my chosen hospital he was the most technically skilled, and I chose that in preference to others that included women.

Personally I don’t care who does it but can see why others might

Then you don’t support women

In a nutshell really.

What happened to women's hard won rights? Well a lot of privileged women who hadn't (yet) discovered why they needed them, couldn't be buggered.

And in practice, (in an NHS scarcely resourced and planned out for mass healthcare NOT personal care), you don't have the choice. You never have had, don't pretend that you have. It's not mentioned anywhere on an appointment letter what sex of practitioner or medic you will be seeing for sure.

Exactly, yes. This has happened, no one has made this up. So you can ask to choose and then this happens. So, no choice, actually.

Clare Dimyon OBE was the first woman, and it was her breast screening she was writing about.

https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2019/12/09/hospital-apologises-to-rape-victim-for-branding-her-request-for-same-sex-breast-screening-medic-as-transphobic/

But women are totally able to just ask for a female mammographer, right?

There's none so blind as those who screw their eyes shut, put their fingers in their ears, and shout "la la la I'm not listening to rape victims who don't want to be faced with a male mammographer".

Tell me you're in the US without telling me...

Women in the UK don't get to choose their obstetrician when giving birth, it's whoever is on duty.

It's amazing how these threads attract American "cool girls" who are totes cool with male HCPs for gynae and breast procedures and can't even conceptualise why other women might legitimately not be, and want to wokescold us for wanting only women doing certain healthcare procedures.

“However, it is not possible to guarantee to any patient that they will only be treated by a clinician assigned to a specific gender at birth and, as an organisation that prides itself on our commitment to diversity and inclusion, nor would we wish to do so.

What nonsense that writing is full of, as someone in the comments pointed out. And as for, Nor would we wish to do so. - that’s the real reason for not offering same sex care, not the “it is not possible” reason.

And you don’t need to have been raped to not want a man carrying out this examination.

I'm seeing more & more the idea that non-discrimination against the workforce trumps patient choice.

Anecdotally, I have read of women being told they can't ask for female care givers as it discriminates against men and now here with mammograms, the view that male career progression is more important than women's feelings.

No. Our bodies are not workplaces.

I agree - amongst all the reasons that I am suspicious of this move the other thing that occurred to me was that it represents a glorious opportunity to take forwards male career progression in this field.

Because they're not over-represented in management posts elsewhere in healthcare, right? Right?!

Very well put.

Yes, the GI movement has raised the service providers' needs above the service users. Why would any good medic wish to do something that is not in the best interest of their patient or may cause them to refuse healthcare? Why sensitivity in all directions to some groups but NEVER to women?

RIGHT!!!!! 🤣

I'm seeing more & more the idea that non-discrimination against the workforce trumps patient choice.

It is not even just patient choice, it is about not discriminating against female patients.

Are you saying you want a male radiographer IN PREFERENCE to a female?
Because unless you have an actual preference why would it bother you if the situation remains as it is now?

Also - You don’t actually have any right to CHOOSE “ the best medic”… ( unless you’re referring to private treatment?)

I don’t believe you care about women who want to keep the situation as it is . You have decided they’re prudish etc …

I'm seeing more & more the idea that non-discrimination against the workforce trumps patient choice.

This is an entitled attitude of healthcare providers. Their job is to provide patient-centered care.