4.1 Statements
Respondents were asked how much they agreed or disagreed with a series of statements relating to the appointment lengths in the breast screening service.
Respondents largely agreed that setting nominal screening lengths were necessary to meet screening targets, and that they could normally satisfactorily complete the appointment within the allocated time. However, 47% could not extend the length of the appointment if they needed to. It is also of concern that 56% considered their departments to be short-staffed. In addition, over half of all respondents thought that pressure to complete appointments within a set time negatively affected their morale, with 47% saying it negatively affected their health.
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[3]
4.2 Free text responses
The table below illustrates the themes which were raised by more than two respondents when asked if they wished to comment further.
|
Themes arising from free-text responses: |
Number of respondents |
Example comments |
|
Better appointment systems are required |
4 |
“Maybe the service should invite women, but put the onus on them to make an appointment (like the pap smear), with a time scale of when the van will be in their area; thus there would be fewer wasted slots and … better timing of appointments” |
|
Extended appointments need to be arranged in advance. |
5 |
“For certain reasons it can be recorded that a lady needs a longer appointment time, so that in 3 years time she will be given a double slot. For the current appointment if difficulties were encountered you would have to take the time needed but then run late.” |
|
The main reasons for extending appointments are:
|
15 6 5
|
"6 minute time slots are fine for average fit ladies, but many 70-year-olds have mobility problems, take longer to x-ray and don't want to be rushed." |
|
Extending appointments has a knock-on effect. |
9 |
“If I need to spend extra time with a woman this means that my colleagues need to pick up extra work.” |
|
Activities other than radiography take time. |
3 |
“The actual radiography takes less time than all the other tasks involved such as checking the demographics / history are accurate, resourcing the examination and cleaning the equipment.” |
|
Screening resembles a production line or conveyor belt. |
7 |
“At busy times we often have to choose between pushing the clients through at a pace that gives the impression of a "production line" (and it is noticeable that the clients do not ask as many questions at these times) and the alternative of allowing appointment times to get badly behind, which again impacts negatively on the clients as well as the staff.” |
|
It is difficult to get perfect films in a short time frame. |
4 |
“Getting perfect films in such a short time is not always possible so technical recall rates increase.” |
|
There is an expectation that introduction of digital equipment allows reduction in appointment time |
4 |
“Women screened on digital equipment can NOT be screened any more quickly than with analogue equipment.” |
|
Staff skip breaks to give clients more time. |
4 |
“Breaks are built into the day, but these are only on paper; we always give our ladies all the time they need, so by the time we have caught up with ourselves the break time has passed and the next wave of the clinic are arriving, so we just have to keep going.” |
|
Work is physically demanding. |
6 |
“After a busy day on the mobile unit I usually feel extremely tired, impacting on my free time in the evening.” |
|
Some staff have RSI |
5 |
“One colleague took early retirement with RSI to her wrist.” |
|
Some staff are off sick |
3 |
“Due to a lack of staff we are struggling to hit round length targets and that is affecting the morale of the department and the health of the radiographers who are not already off sick.” |
|
Rotation of staff and flexibility of working important. |
6 |
"I am lucky to work part-time … but I feel for my colleagues who are working three or four days a week in breast screening as the increased work load … must take its toll." |