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?

No. I would refuse.

Is that what she’s saying? Not how I read it.

Everyone absolutely has the right to say no.

if you want a female HCP then it is absolutely your right to be provided with one. In fact I don’t see why when you set up the appointment that question shouldn’t be asked.

but I also don’t see why some women having a preference should exclude men from the job entirely. Especially if it means more women can be seen in a faster timescale.

choice is a good thing. You can have your appointment at 9am tomorrow with mr mammographer or you can have next Tuesday with miss mammographer. What’s the issue?

I've had a male midwife, he was great. I had an episiotomy performed by a man, I gave literally no shits about who was doing it at that point.
When I had a lump in my breast a couple of years ago, I was very grateful that the male GP saw me the same day that I called and he examined my breasts (he offered a chaperone) and referred me immediately. I personally don't care who does the procedure if they are competent.

I can see how it may bother some people so as long as a choice is offered, why actually ban men from this role ?

No thank you I don't like having it done by a woman as it is, if I turned up to my next one and it was a man I would walk away and make another appointment.
I never liked having to have an internal exam performed by a male doctor, I know nobody ever likes having to have them done, but at least if it's a woman she knows how it feels , it's more reassuring.

You need to be a qualified radiographer don't you? Which is a whole degree and then a PG in Mammography. Seems an odd choice to do all of that just because you want to touch some boobs. It's also an interesting and varied area of medicine.

Personally I don’t care. Give women the choice, see a man or wait longer for a woman.

Except sorry, that was her in lung cancer screening! Wrong link.

The Cochrane review is here, though:

www.cochrane.org/CD001877/BREASTCA_screening-for-breast-cancer-with-mammography

This is a difficult one for me, on the one hand I would rather have a women handling my breasts when going for screening, on the other hand, I regularly have my hand around some poor mans penis whilst I insert a catheter, double standards ?

Absolutely unacceptable.

I imagine it depends on the amount of breast tissue, but I have a fair bit (I'd really prefer not to) and there can be a lot of handling of the breast by the operator. This is what bothers me: it's not the seeing but the touching.

We're talking about screening and not emergency healthcare. If men can do it, women will stay away and the stats in my area, which has a high south Asian population and a low uptake rate, will drop even further

If it was shortage of women to do it, there would be an argument for. I can’t open the link but if there are men campaigning to scan breasts, I think that’s an argument against

When I was a very naive 20 year old I went to the doctor for something completely unrelated and he talked me into having a breast exam. I assumed it must be important as he was a doctor and someone I thought should be trusted.

He got in a chaperone to cover himself (probably said I'd requested the exam) but I can't think of a single reason why he would have needed to give me a breast exam, except that he wanted something for the wank bank - seeing as the median age of breast cancer is 62 and I hadn't had any issues with my breasts.

I wouldn't go to a mammogram if it was going to be done by a man.

No.
I’m quite small and have to be handled and pushed into place quite a lot by the lady doing the mammogram. They’re always very nice & professional & that’s fine. A bit embarrassing but ok.
There is absolutely no way on earth I would agree to a male doing it, no way.

'If we assume that screening reduces breast cancer mortality by 15% and that overdiagnosis and overtreatment is at 30%, it means that for every 2000 women invited for screening throughout 10 years, one will avoid dying of breast cancer and 10 healthy women, who would not have been diagnosed if there had not been screening, will be treated unnecessarily. Furthermore, more than 200 women will experience important psychological distress including anxiety and uncertainty for years because of false positive findings.'

I’m not telling you anything, for crying out loud. I am expressing my view. Thats it.

Well maybe some thought that Ian Paterson wouldnt have gone through all that study and qualifications just to do what he did. How long was he doing it for again?

There is a shortage generally. It's from last year but the NHS need 40% more. https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/aug/15/radiographer-shortage-in-england-delaying-breast-cancer-treatment-says-society

I once overheard the male medical students at uni drunkenly talking about the women they'd examined in lurid terms. I've not been able to trust a male doctor since.

I’ve had breast cancer and have annual mammograms now. I would not want a man doing them. I’m happy to have a male radiographer doing my breast ultrasound, happily had a man doing my internal scans at IVF but like PP said a mammogram is more intimate. You absolutely are physically handled, breasts smoothed down between the plates and hoiked up and pulled around. I’ve felt like a not so prize cow having it done so no, I wouldn’t want a man doing it. If other people don’t mind then fair enough but it should be choice and no pressure.

I'm not saying he didn't. I'm saying that the argument that male gynaecologists are fine but male radiographers MUST be doing it for nefarious reasons is baloney.

I have worked in healthcare, and I would be more than happy with a male professional in any circumstance. Women would be offered a chaperone, for both the radiographer and the patients safety.

Believe me, that happens with female nurses too.

And yet it is. I would prefer for it to be a woman.

Why am i getting a sense of deja vu? oh yes its because you see the same attitude on the hysteroscopy threads............put up with the pain or wait longer for a GA

No, not double standards because the man presumably is undergoing an acute event or episode of something, but mammogram screening is , well, screening. Most of us wouldn't suffer if we didn't get screened, whereas your man would probably suffer in some way if you didn't insert the catheter. Besides which, couldn't he request a male to do it?

Would not really mind so long as the clinician was professional. Of course a woman should have the right to opt for a female clinician if she so wishes.