Charities hit back at Mandate proposal to decrease cancer screening times

Petition to keep 'gold service breast screening programme' has over 2,000 signatures

Charities on the Isle of Man are calling on the Department of Health and Social Care to rethink some of the proposals in the Mandate for Manx Care. 

Last week Ramsey MHK and former health minister Lawrie Hooper described the document for the next service year as 'the largest assault on NHS care the Island has ever seen'.

You can find out more HERE.

Some of the proposals being made are: 

• Reduction in acute hospital (mental/physical) bed capacity to support out of hospital care models
• Changes to prescription eligibility criteria
• More cost-effective delivery of care in hospital and community

Screening Services Delivery

Another proposal is to follow the UK's National Screening Committee by decreasing the frequency of breast and cervical cancer screening from two years to three. 

It's something that's been described as 'a backward step' by the chair of the Manx Breast Cancer Support Group. 

Julie Stokes says she was shocked and horrified when she learnt about the proposal and immediately contacted the health minister. 

'There's 130 breast cancers on the Island and half of them are found by screening' - Julie Stokes. 

She's described it as 'a sneaky move to save a few bob':

PETITION

The charity has also created a petition calling on the Island to keep its gold service breast screening programme. 

Over 2,000 signatures have been collected so far. 

You can find the link to the petition HERE.

'ILLOGICAL'

But it's not just Julie Stokes that's concerned. A former surgeon who was part of the group that helped bring screening to the Island in 1998 - Malcolm Clague has also hit out. 

Malcolm, who's also the chair of the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association believes extending screening time from two years to three will send out the wrong message to people - especially as the charity's main focus is trying to get as many people as they can to test frequently. 

He added it seems 'illogical' to extend the screening time especially when prevention and early detection is the way forward: 

BREAST CANCER NOW

The founder of Breast Cancer Now says if screening only takes place every three years, breast cancers won’t be caught as early, resulting in lengthy and more complex treatments for the patient. 

Jan Brookes, who played an instrumental part in the implementation of screening here, says the earlier the cancer is diagnosed the easier it is to treat and more lives will be saved.