Page 349 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 23 February 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
that will prolong and enhance the quality of their lives. As no cause for the disease is known, no preventive measures can be taken to delay the onset of the disease. However, there is strong evidence that the women who participate regularly in a high-quality mammographic screening program can halve their risk of dying from breast cancer.
The national program for the early detection of breast cancer is a clearly identified, integrated, systematic and coordinated program. The various medical colleges, including the royal Australian colleges of surgeons, pathologists, radiologists and general practitioners, have given their support to the development of, participation in, and evaluation of the program. The development of the ACT program has been overseen by a local advisory committee. The AMA, the College of General Practitioners, surgeons, radiologists and pathologists are all represented on the ACT advisory committee, as are consumers and women from non-English-speaking backgrounds.
Madam Speaker, at all stages during the screening and assessment process the client's GP will be kept informed of the progress and outcome of any tests, if the client so desires. At any stage during the proceedings the client will have the option of returning to her GP for continuing management. Cooperation with the medical profession is therefore an extremely important part of the program, and one which will be fostered by the ACT breast screening clinic. The advisory committee has been an excellent example of cooperation of the medical profession with the bureaucracy. A medical director for the ACT clinic has been appointed and will take up the position next Monday. She is an experienced practitioner who has been running the Townsville breast screening clinic.
The ACT breast screening clinic is centrally located in the Moore and Alinga Street building, on the first floor. It is easy to get into. This will enable women from all over Canberra to access the clinic, using either public or private transport. The clinic actually opened on 1 February 1993 and has already screened over 400 women. Public interest in and demand for the program is already very high and it is anticipated that eventually over 17,000 women will be screened annually. Women will be asked to attend for re-screening every two years until they turn 70. An active recruitment program to encourage women from non-English-speaking backgrounds and from socially disadvantaged groups to attend the clinic will begin shortly.
The ACT Government is extremely pleased to be able to participate in this important program aimed at improving the health and well-being of women. Continued funding from the Federal Government is conditional on the clinic and staffing meeting strict accreditation guidelines. These guidelines cover such things as physical layout of the clinic, staff training, number of women screened, and number of women going on to assessment. The ACT has applied for provisional accreditation at this stage and will apply for full accreditation within 12 months. Madam Speaker, in early 1992, as part of our election promises, we committed a Labor government to implementing a mammography screening program. Today we have honoured that commitment. Madam Speaker, I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .