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

Yep I also had male doctors, nurses, radiographers and surgeons etc once into the care pathway and by then I was also very grateful for being seen. They were all wonderful and very professional. There was one male nurse who did pre-op checks and later wound care - there was no chaperone. I was OK with that in the hospital setting, but to those who are saying that one would defo be provided I wouldn't be so sure.

However my cancer was caught on my first routine scan; noone could feel the lump because it was so small. I found that scan challenging and I wasn't expecting anything to be found. Being topless in the windowless, soundproof box at the far end of the supermarket car park was slightly creepy. (BTW I am not a "snowflake" - I work in a male dominated industry and am often the only women in a room and often issuing instructions). So I can see how someone less robust than me could easily prefer to avoid this altogether. A male staffer would be a good reason for some - even if that is considered tenuous by others. I was actually more concerned for the safety of the lone female mammographer working under those conditions. Apart from safety issues of randoms knocking on the door of the cabin in a rough neighbourhood, it looked a bit miserable socially TBH. Maybe it is those conditions which should be improved before recruitment solutions involving males are progressed.

I am old - the upper end of the age range for mammograms - nobody, but nobody, fancies me, but just picture an old woman, with her breasts out standing facing a (probably young) man, and then he has to handle her breasts to get them onto the machine. Am I not allowed any dignity or privacy from the male gaze? There's something worse about a male radiographer doing a mammogram than a male gynaecologist - you are eye to eye with him. I actually feel nauseous at the thought of it.

Because

1). Unlike other services, the goal is to encourage healthy women with no symptoms to be screened.
1). To increase accessibility, screening is often done in a lorry sized mobile unit with limited or no availability of other members of staff to act as chaperones.

It is therefore more efficient to just make the service women only.

Hope you’re doing ok now, @MagellanicPenguin .

My breast surgeon was male, as was my radiologist and anaesthetist. Nothing nauseating about them. Professional people doing their job.

What was nauseating was the thought of potentially dying of cancer if they hadn’t treated me so well.

Your surgeon wasn’t carrying out your mammogram, nor was your anaesthetist or your radiologist. The face they treated you for breast cancer has no bearing on whether women should have to be faced with the possibility of males doing their mammograms.

I am glad you felt this way and sorry you had to have surgery. I wouldn't dream of dismissing your feelings.

Actually, the radiologist did. The second one after I’d been called back. He took the biopsy samples, rather than the radiographer, presumably because he was more experienced/qualified.

Had a respectful, gentle manner and I had no issue with it at all.

My surgeon examined my breasts multiple times. My anaesthetist saw me too, had to be called back in to recalculate dosage and top up after I bled excessively and had to be kept under for much longer than expected whilst that was dealt with.

I don’t know whether you’ve faced a cancer diagnosis?

As I said earlier, I couldn’t have cared less who was saving my life.

(The samples are taken using ultrasound. The radiographer operated the equipment and the radiologist extracted the samples).

Some people are finding it difficult to understand the difference between care for someone who thinks/knows they have cancer, and someone who doesnt.

I dont think i have breast cancer or cervical cancer, dont want to be screened by a man. So wont attend an appointment for something a dont think i have, if it means being touched by a man unnecessarily.

You can say its my choice, but the screening services role is to increase screening rates, not increase mens career opportunities.

Yes @illinivich there is a difference between general health screening, and screening where there is a suspected cancer. Even so, all things being equal, I would still prefer a woman, in the same way that I would prefer a female gynaecologist but I think I have only ever been treated by one woman. The male ones have always been professional, but that doesn't ease my discomfort. I put up with it when I have to, but it irks me that I have to.

Fair enough, but for various reasons I am a reluctant attender and had already missed several screens. I'm usually farily blase about male medics but if breast screening hadn't been an all-women service I probably wouldn't have gone this time either.

If I'd needed more interventions then the sex of people doing them would have mattered less. Well, a bit less.

My cancer was diagnosed after routine screening. No symptoms, was unpleasantly surprised.

You should go. I might not be here now if I hadn’t.

Yes, many people on the thread have had a breast cancer diagnosis, and been treated by male HCPs, and think that the screening service should be female only.

There is a difference between treating somebody with a cancer diagnosis, in a hospital, with the option of a chaperone; and encouraging somebody with no symptoms to walk into a lorry in a carpark and remove their top.

Giving people the option of being screened by a man or a woman adds an extra layer of admin to the process, and bringing along a chaperone means an extra member of staff.

The statement from the society does not suggest a shortage of staff available to do mammograms.

Pragmatically it therefore makes sense that the service is female only.

So it’s really important and some women find the idea of a male performing the service unbearable - both things can be true

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 look what happened when four Scottish women got together on Mumsnet and stuck to their guns.

I did go! It is an all-women service.

And I'm glad you weren't put off or bothered but that's quite a threat, we want men to do it so accept that or risk death.

I’ve faced a diagnosis, and the treatment. I put off going to the GP with the lump for nearly a year because I knew how hostile (nurses in particular) could be to women who ask for a female doctor. The Breast Care nurses and surgery team were incredibly understanding, even ensured an all female theatre, despite me having told them that I had no problems with males being present while I was under anaesthesia as the theatre environment has safety in numbers and it was my post traumatic reaction that was an issue for me.

During radiotherapy a male radiologist sexually harassed me, and the reaction of his female colleagues made it clear I wasn’t the first. Even after the team provided all female care for me every step of the way, some creep saw that as a challenge and I had to shout at him to get out of the room while I was undressed.

For the benefit of the crass earlier poster, hardly anyone fancies me, I’m not the pretty young thing I used to be. It doesn’t stop men who get off on violating women’s boundaries.

In every aftercare clinic for 5 years the nurses in the clinic have demanded explanations in the waiting room as to why I insisted on seeing a woman doctor, of which there are no shortages in breast care in my area. Hospitals aren’t any safer for women than anywhere else, and I’m not going to trust an unknown man anymore than anywhere else. I will not have intimate care or examinations done by a man, no matter what the stakes.

I will turn up and fight for my right to be seen by a woman, which many women can’t do.

But not your routine screening mammogram. As I said, what happened to you during your treatment for breast cancer is not relevant to routine screening.

Very fortunately I have never had a cancer diagnosis although I’ve been referred 3 times under the 2ww and have had both males and females carrying out different parts of the process. A male carried out one of the fine needle aspirations and another felt for the lump. I was scared, naturally - and whilst I wanted it over and done with if I’d of had the choice I would have far preferred a female at every step of the process. The choice was not there that day. Each 2ww appointment at the hospital has been a completely different experience from the routine screening mammogram.

They should just give us a choice. Some women, like me, don’t have a problem with a man doing this. This frees up the female mammographers for the women who prefer to have a female mammographer..

For the hard of thinking.

I don't mind my breast examination being carried out by a lesbian (not that I'd know, but that's not the point)

I do mind having my breast examination carried out by a biological man (no matter whether his head tilts or not).

I would rather more services were female only.

How would that work at the mobile unit?

I also think there’s a big difference between screening procedures and being in a hospital setting undergoing further review or treatment. When I had my children I had some male doctors and nurses involved, under those circumstances I didn’t really care as long as my baby was ok. However, I would always request a female for smears and breast screening. When I’ve had my mammograms I’ve literally had the radiographer with her chest to my back reaching round to get the correct position for the breast, it’s extremely intimate but they've always been lovely at putting me at ease, I’m not convinced a man could do so in that situation.

For screening, women aren't symptomatic, getting maximum numbers through the door is the key, so if male mammography are a barrier to some women then provide a female only service as that meets everyone's needs AND best supports the objective of maximum numbers through the door.

Once women are on a 2ww pathway, or are post-diagnosis, male clinicians may cease to be an issue for many, for obvious reasons that the focus shifts to diagnosis and treatment.

For some of us I'm afraid there are sometimes reasons it continues to be an issue, even when staring down that barrel of suspected or diagnosed cancer. Which is why trauma informed, patient-centred care is important. I'm so glad your requests for female clinicians have been honoured @LaLoba but I'm sorry you've had to explain and justify some of the requests.

I had a 2ww referral to the breast clinic (I was lucky; it wasn't cancer) and the receptionist was very understanding when I rang beforehand. And 12 years earlier the same hospital were phenomenal during my pregnancy and childbirth - a fabulous all female team supported us, including in theatre for a c-section.

Professionals in healthcare know how to read between the lines, it's absolutely not necessary to make you go through having to spell out traumatic history to a stranger on a switchboard or reception desk.

And it is outrageous that we are now being gaslit with a load of BS about the wider context of staff shortages in radiography (which you don't fix just by moving some men across to breast screening clinics leaving vacant posts elsewhere), and outrageous that women are being scared into backing the motion and fighting each other for fear their cancer won't be caught in time.