Ms SCRYMGOUR - 2002-05-21
The opposition raised the claim last week that breast screening services had been closed for 14 of the last 17 weeks in Central Australia. Could the minister advise the House of the true state of affairs in regards to this important service.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to answer this question today, and I thank the honourable member for her question. Last week, the member for Araluen claimed in the House that the breast screening service had been closed for 14 out of 17 weeks from November 2001 to March 2002. Then, later in the day, she had a press release on this same subject where she said the service had been closed for 14 of the past 17 weeks. Unfortunately, two different claims on the same day.
The facts are actually somewhat different. I am advised that there were no breast screening sessions scheduled for December, so it is mischievous to say that the services were actually closed. They were not closed, there were none scheduled. My department provides a breast screening service across the Northern Territory. The service is provided from Darwin for the Top End, and Alice Springs for Central Australia.
One person taking on the dual roles of a half-time coordinator and a half-time radiographer, staffs the Central Australian service. Screenings and assessment clinics are timetabled for four times each year, with the assessment clinics usually occurring within six weeks of the screening rounds. In Central Australia, the staff member who takes on the dual role of coordinator and radiographer has been on sick leave since 22 January this year. Prior to going on sick leave, the January screening was started though not completed, but it was completed in March. An experienced breast screening mammographer was engaged as a locum to undertake the March screenings. She provided a block of full-time screening over a three week period, with 212 women being screened at that time.
This is large number of women, I am very happy about this, that women in Central Australia are certainly not being marginalised in terms of breast screening. Dr Jones and Partners provided a locum service for the two assessment clinics. The level of service has been similar to that provided by the department. The next round of screening is as planned for July and August. So, once again, there have been no cuts or reductions in services to breast screening in Central Australia.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to answer this question today, and I thank the honourable member for her question. Last week, the member for Araluen claimed in the House that the breast screening service had been closed for 14 out of 17 weeks from November 2001 to March 2002. Then, later in the day, she had a press release on this same subject where she said the service had been closed for 14 of the past 17 weeks. Unfortunately, two different claims on the same day.
The facts are actually somewhat different. I am advised that there were no breast screening sessions scheduled for December, so it is mischievous to say that the services were actually closed. They were not closed, there were none scheduled. My department provides a breast screening service across the Northern Territory. The service is provided from Darwin for the Top End, and Alice Springs for Central Australia.
One person taking on the dual roles of a half-time coordinator and a half-time radiographer, staffs the Central Australian service. Screenings and assessment clinics are timetabled for four times each year, with the assessment clinics usually occurring within six weeks of the screening rounds. In Central Australia, the staff member who takes on the dual role of coordinator and radiographer has been on sick leave since 22 January this year. Prior to going on sick leave, the January screening was started though not completed, but it was completed in March. An experienced breast screening mammographer was engaged as a locum to undertake the March screenings. She provided a block of full-time screening over a three week period, with 212 women being screened at that time.
This is large number of women, I am very happy about this, that women in Central Australia are certainly not being marginalised in terms of breast screening. Dr Jones and Partners provided a locum service for the two assessment clinics. The level of service has been similar to that provided by the department. The next round of screening is as planned for July and August. So, once again, there have been no cuts or reductions in services to breast screening in Central Australia.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016