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?

Thanks for sharing @Imnobody4
Excellent article.

It's not always easy for someone with PTSD to advocate for themselves in the moment. We think of "fight or flight" but there's also "freeze" and "fawn"... Being numb, shutting down, spacing out or dissociating, going along with others' requirements, fearing and avoiding conflict - these can all be default responses to something triggering. You may never go back for another screening mammogram after that experience, but may not have been able to advocate for yourself in the moment.

Not even just those with PTSD or in such vulnerable situations. How many women have actually admitted to a hairdresser that they don’t like a hair cut rather than meekly say ‘that is fine’, paid, and vowed never to go back?

In the UK and I had meant male nurses do smears and male Drs are gynecologist.

Did you read my post where I said that I've stopped going for smears?

The NHS, right now, will lie to patients and tell them that a man in makeup is a woman. It's not possible right now to ask for a woman and be sure that when the receptionist says "yes, I'll book you in with a female nurse" that the HCP will actually be a woman.

Yes but I meant a letter sent out in advance or phone call with a automated, yes or to be seen by man. So the women wouldn't be put on the spot at the appointment.

But they will be being told at the outset then that it will not be an all female environment and that will put many women off. They still have to understand the choice. For many women they would be unable to articulate that choice to the person filling in the form on their behalf, if their carer even asks them. Maybe their carer will be like many pp here and think ‘well I don’t mind so they shouldn’t’. If it is their first mammography they won’t understand the degree of manipulation involved and what if they want to remove consent for a man to be involved once they arrive? Or half-way through? And, often the answer to these questions are taken as merely a preference not actual statement of consent. So there is now doubt from the woman that she would receive a female mammographer, or maybe shifts get swapped and now there is a male mammographer because, again like the pp, the manager thinks ‘I don’t mind so why should they?’

Then how have these women managed to go to smear appointments or to gynecologists they already have males performing? Clearly women have already found a way to opt out without causing issue or there would be more uproar about women's rights being trampled over.
Yes a % of women won't like it won't feel comfortable but steps can be put in place i.e opting out being treat by a male or a chaperone. A mammogram can be life saving, more radiographs are needed, yes push for more women to be trained but atm if a male doing it means women are seen quicker and more may be saved.
Also as a career who be would be helping a client fill out said forms and I don't care about being seen by man. I would never force my opinion on a client or choose for them I would make it clear to them and make sure they knew they could refuse a man without them facing any backlash.

Quotes from Janice Turner's article above.
'Heated arguments this week about the Society of Radiographers’ proposal to recruit male mammographers to fill vacancies missed the central point. We are talking here about mass screening to catch early breast cancer, where the priority is getting the maximum number of eligible women through that first door.'

'This programme is (and has always been) the only totally female-run NHS service for a reason. A third of women invited for screening already don’t show up. Even if, as the SoR proposes, a male mammographer is just a non-compulsory option, the mere presence of men will deter many more.'

This is about the best way to encourage women to attend voluntary screening, not an argument about 'why can't hung up prudes just lighten up and submit.'

The best way to encourage them is the assurance of female only staff. Where one group of people couldn't care less and the other cares very much the sensible thing is to ensure the latter get what they need.

A mammogram can be life saving, more radiographs are needed, yes push for more women to be trained but atm if a male doing it means women are seen quicker and more may be saved.

I cannot think of a better way of guaranteeing a drop in numbers of women taking up the offer breast screening than forcing male radiographers into the service.

Janice Turner's article beautifully describes how the service is run as a safe female run service - by women for women. We all know that the health sector (for some strange reason) has been completely captured by the trans gender lobby, and this is why they want to destroy this all woman service. To punish uppity women, and gaslight them about it along the way.

Im not a great one for conspiracy theories, but it's very hard to draw any other conclusion.

'Then how have these women managed to go to smear appointments or to gynecologists they already have males performing? '
They don't.

The timing does seem interesting, doesn't it?

From nhs:

"You'll automatically get your first invite for breast screening between the ages of 50 and 53. Then you'll be invited every 3 years until you turn 71 ....If you have not been invited for breast screening by the time you are 53 and think you should have been, contact your local breast screening service."

That doesnt sound like an exact time dependent service to me. Its very 'age anout 50 and every three years, give or take'.

Women having to wait, say, 40 months instead of 36 months for appointments, when a high number of appointments will be rescheduled anyway, doesnt seem to be that crucial?

How many women go every three years on the dot now?

I've never actually heard of male nurses or doctors doing routine screening smears. Where I live you are pointedly told that it will be a female nurse carrying out the procedure. When I've lived in other places it has been the same.

Then how have these women managed to go to smear appointments or to gynecologists they already have males performing?

I know it can be common to have a gynecologist in America, and perhaps it is in whichever country you live in. But women in the UK do not routinely see a gynecologist. Many will never see one.

As a person who has worked in mammography for many years, can I assure people that you are not waiting for longer because we have a female service. There were breaches on the screening programme due to Covid but we have now caught up. You will be invited within the three year period. Waits for symptomatic clinics are not because we don’t have mammographers to perform the mammogram. We do. I just want to get rid of this myth that if we have male mammographers, it will mean ‘women are seen quicker’.

As a person who has worked in mammography for many years, can I assure people that you are not waiting for longer because we have a female service. There were breaches on the screening programme due to Covid but we have now caught up. You will be invited within the three year period. Waits for symptomatic clinics are not because we don’t have mammographers to perform the mammogram. We do. I just want to get rid of this myth that if we have male mammographers, it will mean ‘women are seen quicker’.

I was invited for my first around my 50th birthday. The invitation for my second came about a fortnight before my 53rd birthday (but I need to rearrange it.)

Thats what the nhs says. Youll be called anywhere between your 50th and 53rd birthday. Then at three year intervals.

My point is that not being seen at 50, then 53 and then 56 is a problem.

@illinivich That imprecise timescale is because of the way the screening invitation parameters are drawn in approaching GP surgeries not because of a lack of men.

I should have said 'not a problem'!

Yes, i agree. I dont think there is a life threatening backlog as some are suggesting, and even if there were, men wouldnt be the solution.

Then how have these women managed to go to smear appointments or to gynecologists they already have males performing?

A lot of women don't attend gynae appointments. The only gynae appointments I've ever had were to fit IUDs. A woman who doesn't use IUDs may never see a gynaecologist in her life.

I have said already that I don't attend smears, yet you keep repeating this non-argument. A lot of women do not attend smear tests. Fewer than half of women invited for smears attend within six months of the invitation. Fewer than half. Nearly a third of women are overdue a smear test. Yet the NHS tells us "But there are things you can ask for to help you feel more comfortable, such as asking for a nurse of a specific gender...". I don't want a nurse "of a particular gender", I want a nurse of the female sex. Yet, if I ask for a female nurse and tell them "and I mean biologically female" I risk having my request quoted in training materials for recognising "transphobia". I would risk being deregistered from the surgery and would lose access to the daily medication I need to take. So I prioritise my daily medication over getting a smear test and hope that I don't get cervical cancer.

What would enable me to attend smear tests would be a female-only smear service, like the mammography service. I wouldn't mind going for smears in a portacabin in a supermarket car park if it meant a 100% guarantee of a female nurse doing it.

I risk having my request quoted in training materials for recognising "transphobia".

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

"We understand that this coverage has led to distress and confusion, with some contacting screening services or cancelling appointments, concerned that they will be having a man perform their mammogram. We are deeply sorry for the concern this has caused and are working to provide clear and accurate information."

The Society of Radiographers statement on the motion, incredible that it was passed at conference but hopefully the reaction will scupper any further moves to open up the screening service to male radiographers. Notice how the distress and confusion is blamed on people noticing the motion instead of whoever thought bringing and passing the motion was a good idea. Just own your mistakes like adults fgs
Full statement here Full statement

The motion in question asked the Society to explore how we could support fair access to mammography as a career, as mammography in breast screening is currently restricted to female staff

So basically nothing to do with shortening waiting times and the like but wanting to improve career prospects for men. Irrespective if it makes access to screening more difficult for women. Jeez-I don’t even know why I’m still a member and pay my subs every month to the society.