Health experts are suggesting that male health workers should be permitted to conduct breast screening examinations in order to address staff shortages in the field. Mammograms, which are X-rays given to women aged 50 to 71 every three years to detect cancer, are currently restricted to female staff. The Society of Radiographers (SoR) is advocating for this policy change due to the critical lack of radiographers specializing in breast exams.
Sally Reed, who underwent two mastectomies after breast cancer was detected through mammograms, emphasized the importance of life-saving screenings regardless of the gender of the healthcare provider. However, she acknowledged that some women may be deterred from undergoing breast screenings if conducted by male health workers. Currently, only female staff are allowed to perform breast X-rays, making mammography the only health examination exclusively conducted by women.
Radiographers have reported a high vacancy rate of 17.5% among mammographers specializing in breast exams, with the figure rising to 20% for those assessing women with breast lumps or a family history of breast cancer. Discussions at the SoR conference also touched upon the potential inclusion of transgender men in the NHS breast screening program. Sue Johnson of the SoR noted the evolving role of radiographers and the need to attract more qualified individuals to the field, pointing out that mammography is not as widely publicized as other healthcare professions.
Although previous attempts to involve men in performing mammograms have been unsuccessful, Johnson believes that the current shift in societal norms warrants a reconsideration of their role in breast screenings. Sally Reed, whose life was saved by two mammograms, expressed openness to male radiographers conducting screenings, emphasizing the pivotal role these screenings played in detecting her cancer and facilitating necessary treatments
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