BreastScreen Aotearoa Workforce
Breast screening is a team activity and success depends on leadership and team work from all participants.
The provision of a quality breast screening service and an expert multidisciplinary approach requires specific key roles which are mandatory.
These roles are detailed in this section of the website. A full list of requirements of each role, including specific responsibilities, professional standards, quality and continuing professional development, are specified in the relevant National Policy and Quality Standards criterion. All professional requirements must be included in job descriptions and be subject to performance appraisals.
Mandatory roles include:
- Breastcare nurses
- Medical physicists
- Medical imaging technologists
- Pathologists
- Quality co-ordinator
- Radiologists
- Recruitment and retention staff
- Surgeons
The BreastScreen Aotearoa (BSA) Lead Provider, subcontractors and Independent Service Providers must maintain an up-to-date list of all personnel filling mandated BSA roles within their region.
The BSA provider may choose to provide additional expertise in addition to the mandatory roles listed above in order to meet specific needs of women receiving their services.
Further information regarding BSA workforce roles and responsibilities is available in the Breastscreen Aotearoa National Policy and Quality Standards 2013 (Revised November 2022)
In this section
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Screening Support Services are available for eligible wāhine/whānau who are referred to, or who independently access services from, the support to screening provider. This support can assist wāhine/whānau who experience barriers to accessing breast and cervical screening, assessment and treatment services.
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The breastcare nurse primarily provides information, education, support and counselling services for women undergoing assessment, but is available to assist women at any stage of the screening process, if required.
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The medical physicists have a number of areas of responsibility.
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Breast screening is a service for well women. For most women attending BreastScreen Aotearoa (BSA), the medical radiation technologist (MRT) is the only health professional with whom they interact.
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Pathology specimens from screened women present particular challenges.
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The Quality Co-ordinator, on behalf of the Clinical Director and Lead Provider Manager, co-ordinates the operation of the quality management systems within their Lead Provider region.
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Radiologists working within BreastScreen Aotearoa (BSA) participate in the two phases of the screening process: reading the screening mammogram and assessment clinics.
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All recruitment and retention staff employed or subcontracted in the programme must be able to demonstrate a good understanding of the theory and practice of public health approaches.
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For breast cancer screening to meet its goal of reducing breast cancer mortality, the screening process must include timely and appropriate surgical intervention.
Page last updated: 01 May 2023