Once you started going on the NHS programme which starts around the age of fifty, it could be fifty, fifty-one, but around that age, was it always to [hospital name]?

It was always to [hospital name], yes, yeah.

Have you noticed any changes over the last few years?

No, the only changes Ive noticed is the venue but apart from that I certainly have had no complaints. It’s just been a routine thing that has been very efficient as far as I’m concerned. And of course Ive only had negative [normal] results, so it’s been wonderful.

Yes, and every time youve been there has it been the same experience or did you find it more, maybe worrying on the first one or you didnt, you knew what to expect?

I think I knew what to expect. And the people were very, theyve always been very kind, they seem to understand what were going through, but Ive never obviously got any further than that because Ive always had the nice letter saying everything’s okay.

Do you worry at all before going or

No.

It’s something you do quite routinely?

I just wait, the letter comes, I think it’s every three years, and I do it. And I actually completely forget about it. And my husband opened my letter this time, which he doesnt normally do and told me. Id completely forgotten.

Right, so in-between the appointment and the letter you completely forget about it?

Yeah, yes. [Laughs] yes I do, I’m lucky.

And since youve been going on the breast screening programme how many times have you been, can you remember that or?

[Laughs].

It’s something you don’t think about

I don’t know. I think it’s something that automatically happens every three years so Ive prob, if I started at fifty and now I’m sixty-five, my arithmetic isnt that good but it’s a handful of times [laughs]. Ive never not gone, Ive always done it.

Youve always attended?

Yes.

I cant say it’s something, as you have gathered, that I think about too often. I know it’s there and I don’t think about it and, because thank God, I don’t think about health, too often [laughs]. I just don’t want it to happen I suppose, bad health. But Ive been a very lucky person up until, today.

Did you got your letter today?

No, no, a couple of day, a few days ago yeah.

Yeah. So is there anything you would want to say about breast screening or the procedure?

Well, I certainly don’t have any complaints about what has happened to me at [hospital name]. I would say the whole thing is satisfactory. I cant complain about any of it. I mean it’s a National Health Service which has been very efficient as far as I’m concerned. And talking briefly to those ladies who were being held up, they also probably felt the same. Yeah. I think that’s my impression of it. I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong but that’s what Ive found. You know I think we feel that it’s a wonderful service because, probably, I might neglect myself if it wasnt a service that the National Health provide, yeah.

In your case, every time you have had a letter you have always attended for cervical screening and breast screening?

Yes.

You have always attended?

Yes, yes, I have. Every three years I have. But that doest mean that it eradicates my thoughts, you know, always at the back of my mind, this does lurk, you know.

Has it been something, that these thoughts have come more with age?

With age and then the dependency, you know, obviously an illness like that means a lot of treatment, maybe family life being disturbed, you don’t want to impose problems, your problems, onto your family. They have their own life to lead. I don’t know, I have seen and I have heard as I previously mentioned of what families have to go through, how much they have to suffer to see, and even the family members go beyond recognition with that persos illness because they spend so much of the time visiting his wife or visiting the patient who has cancer, lying in the hospital. That person, or the visitor I should say, goes beyond recognition, you know. Like losing weight, stressed out. And sometimes the family member feels relieved if, when the person departs you know, they feel relieved because this is so much suffering and obviously it has a purpose but personally I wouldt want to go through that, believe it or not. I mean it is such a curse on a woman. I wouldt want to go through that. No.

When I was there, I didnt know what to expect. So I didnt know how the machinery works or anything, you know. It just took, placed, compressing to your breast and things like. It was a bit sort of, I wouldn’t say shocked. A bit, you know, not familiar and I needed to do it, you know, you feel a squeeze of your breasts, especially if you have small breasts like me. They make an effort to try to get it through and they catch a bit under your arm. A little bit more then. I remember a bit the very first time was more painful. That it was painful, not painful, uncomfortable, I don’t think you can really call it a pain, you know, uncomfortable, not pleasant. The second time and the third time I was prepared and I think there was nothing to it, just a few minutes, you go through and feel a little squeeze on your glands, but that is it. It wasnt a traumatic dreadful experience.

And when you went the very first time, was there a leaflet with your invitation?

It was a leaflet but I am one who never reads leaflets. You know, I just go unprepared and hope for the best. You know, it depends on people, you know, sometimes I just don’t bother. Nowadays I think I read a little bit more. But then I was nave I guess.

So you didnt know what to expect?

No, no.

You go in and you take your bra off and stand at this machine as the nurse tells you, and obviously at different angles and obviously your boobs get rather squashed. Sometimes it hurts, it’s tender but not always. Last time I didn’t feel anything, I was most surprised, it was very good.

Is there ever any embarrassment involved, some people say they feel it’s embarrassing?

I don’t think so, when you get to my age, when you’ve had three children, I don’t think you, and they’re all ladies and they’re all very pleasant and they’re all very gentle [laughs];

I felt that it was very painful when they, you know, put pressure on my breasts but after a few days I still felt pain. And then, you know, I felt that I didn’t want to go back. Well I know its because of the pressure when they checked me so I did not tell my doctor, I did not go to see the GP. I still went again after three years. I still go because I heard people say that lots of women die from breast cancer so I think its better to go. So I still went after three years.

No it was only after I’d had it [the mammogram]. And I really was literally bent over in pain when I came out. Not everybody finds it painful, some do. So foolishly I said to myself I’m not going back for any more, and I didn’t;

So if I was to ask you to sum up your views on screening – breast screening, what would you say?

Well I would say yes, I think it’s a good thing, but I don’t know if they could train operators to make it less painful.

Did they say beforehand, this might be a bit painful?

No.

And when you’ve had them on other occasions it’s been a bit painful, but never like that first time?

No, that’s correct.

So you’ll carry on going?

Yes, I would;

When you have been for screening, what have you thought of the whole process? You know, when you have gone in, you waited to be called in, have you been happy with the whole process?

Oh yes. Yes. Very, very, very homely environment. I love that trailer. I could sit in there for hours [laughs]. It is such a nice break from domestic life, you know, really I mean it. I love sitting in that trailer. It is just very homely and very cosy environment and well everything has been quite well. It is well organised les put it this way. No problems, no.

And when you have been for breast screening has it always been in that trailer there?

Yes, yes, as far as I remember but obviously I cannot remember the start of the screening, where it was. I just cannot remember that.

Were you still living in this area?

Yes. Yes. I have been here since75. I don’t, unless it was in the local clinic by hand, I don’t remember;

And the actual procedure of the x-ray, how have you found that? Some people have said it is uncomfortable, other people painful, and other people said they didn’t notice too much. What was your experience?

Painful yes, it is like, it is like a sandwich, you know, I mean, of course this is a delicate part for a woman. And when it is sort of squashed between the two, like slabs or whatever you call it, it is painful and hurtful and very often, as I mentioned before, I feel that I hope it is not damaging something internally, that tremendous pressure. But then, if that is the only way for screening and it is the only successful way of screening that it can not sort of damage internally the tissues or whatever you call it, or sense or whatever, then it is acceptable. You have to just bear and grin;

And in your case it was painful. How long did the pain last? Only a while or afterwards too?

No, not afterwards, no, only at the time when the machine, when the screening machine is compressed for the film to be taken. That is the time, yes, yes;

And afterwards?

Afterwards back to normal, yes, yes.