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The experience was very much less than the ideal

Posted By Julie837

"The experience was very much less than the ideal"

About: NHS Tayside / East Scotland Breast Screening Centre

(as the patient),

I recently had my 3 yearly breast screening invitation. This was at the Breast Screening facility in Tesco Car Park Edinburgh Road, Perth. 

I attended on a very cold and wet day, and whilst the practitioners who received and administered my case then subsequently examined me, the experience was very much less than the ideal. 

The portacabin was clean but very cold. The experience left me feeling that this experience sadly indicates how women are considered in health delivery and I wonder if using this kind of approach and facility is aligned with trauma-informed practice in the NHS. 

I also felt concerned for the two health workers working in this environment, all day and every day as shift/work patterns are. I would like to understand what the reasons motivating such a temporary and perfunctory offer.

I am grateful to attend these examinations and appreciate the medical expertise and care shown, however I feel improvements to the experience for women is much needed and surely could be implemented locally with Third Sector support to give women an improved approach.

Portacabins in a supermarket car park conjures up negative gender stereotypes for me and really underlines the lack of considerations for challenging inequalities. 

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Responses

Response from Lesley Grattan, Breast Imaging Services Manager, NHS Tayside 4 months ago
Lesley Grattan
Breast Imaging Services Manager,
NHS Tayside

Submitted on 09/01/2024 at 15:06
Published on Care Opinion at 15:06

Hi Julie837,

Thank you for taking the time to write about your thoughts and experience of the mobile breast screening service. In common with the breast screening services in the 4 nations, we provide a service that is as local to our clients as we can manage. The value placed on the screening programmes nationally meant that the decision was made to make this a mobile service where necessary, and this is the agreed model for the programme across Scotland. Our aim is to try to reduce inequalities by making it as easy as possible for all clients to attend a screening appointment.

A mobile van needs a certain amount of space to park in and we need nearby toilet facilities for our staff. We realise that ease of parking or proximity to bus links is important in allowing clients to attend. We have found that large supermarket car parks tend to fit the bill and mean we are not impinging on access to the shop.

I am sorry that you found the van cold when you attended and I will look into the heating on our mobiles to ensure it is set up correctly.

As you have alluded to, it is a demanding schedule for our staff working on the mobiles and so staff are frequently rotated between working on a mobile and working in the hospital.

The breast screening programme is carefully monitored across Scotland on a national basis to ensure consistency of approach and service standard. Third sector support can certainly be used to encourage women to attend screening, but individual centres are not at liberty to substantially change how the service is delivered so that inequalities are not introduced across different regions in Scotland.

I hope this gives some insight into the reasons for our type of service delivery. I would like to reassure you that the breast screening programme is given high priority in NHS Scotland.

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Update posted by Julie837 (the patient)

Thank you for taking the time to explain how the Breast Screening Service delivery is planned. I appreciate of course the convenience of the mobile and the supermarket model, it works so I am grateful for that, I was looking at it from an experiential perspective in the wider context.

I felt compelled to share my experience as a woman who is well, however, I thought of so many women who may not be, and if that was ever me then this kind of experience is, in my view, a lot less than I would hope for.

The change I am talking of is a deep cultural change to how we view women's health in Scotland. In this case, the pragmatism of the NHS is totally understood, especially in a Cost of Living crisis when the NHS is so overstretched.

I invite you and colleagues to imagine what the Breast Screening Programme could be then I imagine a place of health and well-being for women that is warm, welcoming and accessible, a soft space where information and support could be available.

I envisage Centres of Women's Health & Wellbeing and remain committed to always seeking more human gentle ways to consider how we deliver essential services. Thank you

Response from Lesley Grattan, Breast Imaging Services Manager, NHS Tayside 4 months ago
Lesley Grattan
Breast Imaging Services Manager,
NHS Tayside

Submitted on 11/01/2024 at 14:29
Published on Care Opinion at 14:29

Hi Julie 837,

I understand the point you are making and I agree, the mobiles are very functional with no ‘soft space’; the hospital setting is a bit better. Sadly I don’t see things changing to this extent in the current NHS... more & better-designed physical space, more time and more joined-up services requires a lot more money. We do have the skills & expertise, just not enough people.

Kind regards,

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