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 surprised people can’t see the difference between having several medics in the room, some male some female, and being alone in a small space with a man. Standing very close to you, his arm across your back pushing you into place, his hand pushing your breast into position. You’re off balance, leaning sideways and on tiptoe…

You’re very vulnerable. I can’t remember whether there was a receptionist and a technician, or whether the one person did everything. But it was a trailer in a car park away from everyone else. Sign on the door saying not to knock until the moment of your appointment. In one door, out a different door.

No, not double standards because the man presumably is undergoing an acute event or episode of something,

@Rightsraptor its about 30/70 , some are as a result of acute events, such as a blocked catheter, but the other 70% are routine changes of long term catheters. The first change following the initial insertion is usually a bit fraught, I think the Doctors in the ED tend to be a bit more 'robust'in their technique, whilst I have the luxury of time and a couple of decades of tricks up my sleeve

Why would a man deliver babies?
Why would a woman check balls for lumps?

There are all sorts of healthcare scenarios where the care is mixed sex. There’s nothing inherently weird about a male providing a mammogram.

A woman can decline and wait for a female to carry out the scan but stop this nonsense that a man must be some sort of predator to be in the field.

Doesn't bother me, I'd be OK with a male radiographer, BUT I absolutely advocate for the right to choose the sex of your clinician in all circumstances.

DH was much more comfortable seeing a male GP for a penis examination of a lump, for example.

Plus I've not had a mammogram yet, so maybe I'll change my tune in a few years...

Seems an odd choice to do all of that just because you want to touch some boobs.
There are at least two posters on this thread alone who have been sexually assaulted by GPs examining their breasts.
I've had breast screenings in a mobile unit and in an all female breast clinic, I agree with the pp that it feels very exposing and the staff are careful to make you feel as safe as possible. It is an intimate and tactile procedure, very different to being examined by a male surgeon or being treated by a male radiographer while a chaperone stands by.
I would refuse a male mammographer.

I think mammograms should be 100% female staff throughout, even a female receptionist to book one.
I feel differently to this compared with giving birth with male staff in attendance. To me birth is quite chaotic and urgent ,fast moving at times, due to the ultimate goal of a safe delivery for both mother and baby as quick and efficient as possible.
Strange though it sounds i think the procedure of mammogram in a usually small space quiet and controlled can actually feel more intimate for me.
So many women will be absolutely unable to do this for obvious reasons.

Absolutely - a shortage in Radiographers being used to usher in male mammographers. There are 15 posts free for mammographers. 233 Radiographer posts free on NHS jobs.

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

The best gynaecologist I ever had was a man.

I want the best qualified, more experienced and most likely person to best the right outcomes for my health.

It could be an alien ftom Mars for all I care, once it's done professionally and thoroughly.

I have recently had a mammogram.

It involves your breasts being handled and manipulated in a very uncomfortable way. It is much much more than "examining your tits"

They are pretty grim. Of course important and we take the pain and embarrassment because they are important for our health.

But they are not nice and if I thought a man was going to be doing it I think my gut feeling would be to bail.

You need a PG in Mammography. I imagine not all radiographers go on to PG. Just because that's all the jobs that are presently on the NHS jobs site...that's not reflective of job shortages. They need 40% more by 2031-2032 they're not going to advertise for them all now 😂

No way would I have a mammogram if a man was positioning my boobs. It’s embarrassing enough with having a female doing this.

I'd definitely want the choice and I'd rather have a woman do it.

Im approaching 50s and dreading it now from previous comments!

No because women aren't perverts going around assaulting people or getting off those sorts of exams.

I can't open that link OP, when I go to the site I get a 404 error. And looking at other mammogram news, it's not coming up there either? Just wondering if that means the idea has been withdrawn?

But to answer your question, I was going to initially say I wasn't bothered. I have had a mammogram done and I don't think I'd be overly fussed if it was a man. Although, given the intimacy of it, I do understand why others would prefer women only.

And then.

I was thinking back to about four years ago when I had a breast cancer scare because they found a lump while scanning me for a blood clot (reaction to the COVID jab!)

I was sent to a dedicated breast clinic for a mammogram and a needle biopsy. The entire staff there were women. Every single person. Thankfully it was a benign lump but the whole experience felt very different, weirdly uplifting and very compassionate.

I've been in lots of hospital units as I was my dad's carer until he died. I've never experienced an atmosphere like I did at the breast clinic. So with that in mind, I probably would prefer a woman.

Ah, I see, thank you. I still really don't like the idea of having a mammogram done by a man though. There is something just too intimate about it.

It wouldn't bother me. I'm just grateful that mammograms are available for free and are readily available. However, I think it should be optional.

Think of the poor old ladies who have to be intimately washed and dressed by a young male carer despite having dementia and possibly neither knowing or understanding them. Sometimes even in their own home.

I'm 60 this year so I've had 3 routine mammograms and 2 more because I'd found a lump or had unexplained breast pain. They were all carried out by women. They're always uncomfortable, at best, and sometimes painful. I would not have wanted a man holding my back and pushing me into the plates of the machine. All those people being 'cool' about a man doing it may well change their tune when they've actually had one.
I want to see a woman for smears ( female nurse does ours). Our surgery has female doctors you can request an appointment with . I go to a woman for issues specific to women .I don't want to see a man.

It's unlikely related to her being a woman.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

And yes, everyone, the news item announcing the motion that was to be lobbied has been removed.

Why do that?

Whilst I agree that there should be a choice to have a woman doctor or radiographer, it’s not the case that all women will pay to see a woman if they can. I had breast cancer 12 years ago and pay to have an annual mammogram, ultrasound, and examination because I’m not happy with just having three yearly mammograms. I had the choice of several consultants but chose to see a man because he holds a very senior position in the breast clinic in my local hospital and I’ve got great faith in him.

I don’t understand why some women find mammograms or other breast examinations and investigations embarrassing - mammograms can be painful but they are potentially lifesaving and worth any discomfort to detect breast cancer at an early stage.

I’m afraid that until men stop taking advantage of situations to predate in women, I will carry on questioning my a man would want to do this job. And I do wonder why men are gynaecologists.

I had a load of male doctors in the early pregnancy unit as I went through 5 miscarriages. Research scientists with zero bedside manner. The women’s on reception was kinder than them. (They really didn’t like it when I took myself off to the recurrent miscarriage clinic (run by a woman) in another hospital as a private patient to get some answers.)

I had a very creepy experience with a male breast surgeon when I was young and had a breast lump.

And do you remember those cases of male surgeons getting off on removing breasts unnecessarily?

This is a job for which the male sex has disqualified itself.

Also, where I am in Europe it’s always women, which is the only thing that makes such a painful and humiliating procedure bearable.

Just to provide you with a contrasting view, I'm 49 and have had a mammogram and I found that it was OK.

Felt a bit weird when they squashed my boob between the plates but it was absolutely fine.

I'm not saying that to invalidate anyone else's experience but just to say it's not always terrible. Mine was done in a dedicated breast clinic, not one of those mobile vans, so maybe that was the difference?

But honestly, don't worry about it. You might be lucky and have an experience like me.

Why would a woman want to do them? Why would a woman want to do prostate exams?

Could / do male patients request that a male do their catheter or intimate care?