Statement from the Society of Radiographers re Mammograms

[Mollyollydolly]

The Society of Radiographers have issued the following statement after the news story this week.
Women are already self excluding because of the coverage, women will probably die.
They have fucked up massively.
I have no words for the damage they've done.
I'd really love to know which individual proposed it in the name of diversity and inclusion.
So angry about it.
And to all the women on here who were posting they didn't care who did it, this is the result. Women self excluding.

"Recent media coverage about the role of men in mammography has caused concern for people and we want to provide reassurance and set the record straight.
The coverage followed a motion passed at the Society of Radiographers’ Annual Delegates Conference (ADC). ADC provides members with the opportunity to help shape the strategic direction of the Society. Each region and country propose motions for debate, which are voted on by delegates at the conference.
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.
It does not change NHS policy, and it does not mean that only male mammographers will be employed.
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.
No changes have been made to who carries out breast screening by this motion. The breast screening experience remains:

• A specialist called a mammographer will take breast screening mammograms.
• The mammographer will be female.
• They will explain what will happen at each stage, and you can ask any questions you may have.
• Radiographers and mammographers in NHS services continue to ensure that patient care is delivered safely, sensitively, and with respect for personal, cultural, and religious needs.

Breast screening is a vital part of early cancer detection and saves lives every year. We recognise how important it is that women feel safe, respected and informed when accessing these services. Protecting trust in the screening programme is essential, and we are working with our NHS colleagues to support this. The motion passed at ADC will now go to the Society’s UK Council to decide whether any further work should be done. If it is taken forward, this will involve detailed discussions with NHS bodies, patient groups and service providers. While the Society can advocate for change on behalf of members, it does not have the authority to change NHS policy. Our intention is to support a professional, inclusive workforce while always protecting the rights and dignity of patients. Mammography screening services will continue to prioritise compassionate, people-centred care. Further updates will be shared when appropriate." https://www.sor.org/news/mammography/public-statement-mammography

@TempNameTrauma, I am so unbelievably sorry that you had to go through that. It is unconscionable that someone somewhere signed off on allowing that situation to arise.

In the case of the pregnancy checking, they have decided NHS policy. They have. There are threads on this subject - radiographers have to ask males if they are pregnant.

The thing that struck me about that FB post was the emphasis on inclusive careers, where the focus should be on service users’ needs and an inclusive service.

Why didn’t they canvas service users (women) before tabling this unpopular proposal? Where is the demand?

Because of a historical decision based on the ability to staff and fund the screening.

Because back when medicine/ doctoring became a profession men called women witches and prevented women from praticing of medicine. From teaching other women the skills they had learned while providing women with limited medical care. So no women doctors for Gynaecology Midwifery or Obstetrics. And if its male dominated in the doctor end and women get in, why not let men into the nursing end too?

Because screening began at a time in the UK when women were allowed to work in the medical fields.

Because it is public health screening to detect and prevent breast cancer which is only open women.

Because public health screening is about reaching the 100% of the targeted population.

Because screening a cost saving medical tool.

Because anything which is designed into the system which eliminates a segment of the population is systemic failure

Because failure to recognise a root design flaw shows the people in charge did not have and do not the professional competence to run the screening.

Because it involves specialist training and equipment.

Because some women dont want men touching them so why train men into a role which creates a system failure which creates a higher cost of late stage breast cancer when it can be avoided.

Because it is an economic value for money decision to limit the employee role to women.

👏👏👏👏

That is terrible. I'm so sorry.

I think they would see it more as obfuscation than a lie, because at least some trusts seem to currently be operating a self-ID policy for mammogram recruitment, so technically if transwomen are already doing the job, then this motion doesn’t make changes as it’s already occurring.

All they’d regard the motion to be doing is ratifying the recruitment of the biological males which has already taken place.

Because public health screening is about reaching the 100% of the targeted population.

The Nail on the Head.

Always the core issue and it needs flagging everywhere.

As soon as you start flapping about 'inclusiveness' for men in womens spaces and resources, you do it at the expense of excluding a percentage of the women the resource was for . In this case, providing bloody medical care ffs.

Getting men into nice inclusive positions in women's health care at the cost of excluding women is mad. Fuck that. It deserves no politer or more explained reply.

"And to all the women on here who were posting they didn't care who did it, this is the result. Women self excluding."

So you don't think women should be allowed to express their opinions?

Fine if you don't think it's a good idea, but don't you see the irony in suggesting women should shut up unless they agree with you? Some women honestly wouldn't mind a man doing a mammogram (particularly if it meant they got seen sooner) and they are allowed to say so. It's not exactly feminist to berate them for not towing what you think should be the party line.

I think it's fairly unlikely that NHS policy will change solely due to an unverified vox poll collated from a MN forum post....

But it's feminist to enable the dismantling of a women only service because you, today, don't happen to be a woman who needs it?

For goodness sake.

I think there’s a difference between being happy to be examined by a man, and being happy with the implications of that for other women - both service users and professionals (ie reducing roles and training available for women - nobody said the males were extra resource)

At no point did that poster say that she didn’t think that women should be allowed to express their opinions.

However, those who don’t have any objections to males doing mammograms (either on here or elsewhere) must now accept that view has resulted in a drop in the number of women going for screening.

Thanks for mansplaining, and again, for those at the back - there's no delays or shortages of mammographers that there is any data for. Nothing been posted on these threads, anyway.
Username reads like a porn addled man, mansplains like a man. Thanks for your manly contribution.

I was at that username too. Nailed it.

Latest screening data
Here's the latest published data, you have to scroll down to section 4. It clearly shows that uptake is below target but screening round length (women being seen within the 3 year parameters of the programme) is above target. And in some areas is almost 100%.
So again, what problem are the SoR trying to fix?

Here is the contact page for the SoR so you can contact them about your views: https://www.sor.org/about/society-of-radiographers/contact-us

Has anyone here heard whether someone has done a FOI on the DfHSC to find out how many male mammographers are working in the NHS already?

Mammogram and subsequent mastectomy probably saved my life.

At the time, I couldn’t have cared less whether a male or female clinician did their skilled job.

Under NHS policy its a woman(should mean female) only role

I am willing to bet that the word choice femalei is a language thing too.

They will have past a motion that some males are classed with in their meaning of the word woman.

So that and the SC ruling results in saying female* rather than woman.

So if a man who IDed as a woman was employed in the breast screening service and a woman made a complaint to him on the basis of professional misconduct the standard would say no case to answer he is a woman.

If a man IDed as a woman they would amemd the membership record from man to woman.

• yet the statement has no value if they have voted to agree that the word female is male or female person.

I'm a radiographer and a current member of SoR. I no longer feel that the SoR accurately represents the views of its members so I'll be making my feelings known and joining a different trade union. I'd be interested in how many other radiographers do the same.

I know that a huge amount of work, over many years, has been happening to increase screening rates in minority groups - it must be devastating for mammographers to see their own professional body undermining all their hard work.

Thankfully I left clinical practice before the ridiculous inclusive pregnancy status form came in to use.

Same here and I had a male breast surgeon examine me before the mammogram so whether there was a male or female mammographer made no difference to me. The male surgeon knew it was cancer straightaway. I also had males in chemo, radiotherapy and 2 out of 3 surgeries and the lack of staff overall caused delays and things to go below optimal for survival rates. I was told there was a 30% shortage of radiographers.

You said that a mixed sex staff is ok for your personal health screening

The question is are you and others ok with changing the tax funded screening system to allow men in the role when it will result in other women not being able to use the system that you can access?

Would you see the change as being an improvement and a better use of funds?

And on the question of staffing levels I would ask why a man would choose the role (day shift by appointment) if a woman would not choose it?

@MagellanicPenguin Are you saying that you believe men should be mammographers?

If so, that view has already caused a drop in screening rates.

So you were not picked up via the screening process (assumption you are in the UK)?

But rather were referred under an urgent care pathway?

And I hope you got and continue to have a sucessful outcome🌻