Breast Cancer Screening: Reaching the hardest to reach women on the North Coast

Breast Cancer Screening: Reaching the hardest to reach women on the North Coast Jane Walsh (Director) November 18th 2017

Presentation focus • What is the BreastScreen Program? • North Coast & NNSW Profile • How to identify the hard to reach women/communities • Strategies implemented the reach women living in two particular LGAs • Outcomes

The BreastScreen Program National Program over 20 year old National target is to screen 70% of women aged 50-69 Free Screening Program All women aged 40 years and older can participate Target women aged 50-74 (actively invite and remind this age group) Well women – asymptomatic women Offer mammogram Recall women needing further investigations as identified mammographically – Assessment clinics Assessment clinics – ultrasound, targeted mammographic views, tomosynthesis and biopsy (stereotactic, core biopsy, FNA)

Profile BreastScreen covers area of 35,570 square kilometres Extending from the Hastings Shire in the south to the Queensland Border in the north. The Area extends westward from the coast to the Great Dividing Range ABS estimated resident populations & NSW Health Population Projection Series 1,2009 (Hoist)

Key Features of the NNSW Population Population • Population between 2011 and 2026 is to increase in NNSW by 12% to 322,641 • Between 2011 and 2026 there is expected to be growth in the 50-74 age group in Byron Bay (27.1%), Tweed ( 26.7%) and Lismore (21%) • 65-84+ age groups growing 53% on North Coast between 2011-2026

Screening & Assessment

North Coast Program Challenge 2016/17 The BreastScreen program was set a target of screening an additional 1,531 women across the North Coast compared to 15/16 – participation rate of 58% How do we achieve this? Plan Focus was placed two LGAs with a participation rate of ≤ 50% Goal was to increase the participation rate in each LGA by 3%

Diagnose the problem Asked the communities what needed to change to encourage more women to access BreastScreen. Listened to women – heard women stories. GPs and Practice Managers consulted. Residential areas, sport groups, clubs, etc. Surveyed health and educational staff working in LGAs. Environmental scan was undertaken.

Solution to the problem Take the service to the community • Additional mobile unit from another NSW program • Extensive marketing of the service in the two LGAs • Met with GPs • Worked with local Councils

Outcome 99.15% of the appointments were booked 3.25% of these were cancelled on the day by the women 793 women screened. 43% (345) were new screen clients 73% (328) lapsed screeners. 15% (120) Changed their screening venue

Participation Rate LGA 1 Participation rate increased from 50% in 2015/16 to 54% in 2016/17 LGA 2 Participation rate increased from 44.9% in 2015/16 to 48.4%

Goal 1,531 women across the North Coast compared to 15/16 57gdgdlrt 5757– participation rate of 58%5757Re57.4% Service outcome for 2016/17 Goal set at screening an additional 1,531 women across the North Coast compared to 15/16 – participation rate of 58% Outcome 57.4% ( 615 under target due to unforeseen circumstances)

Breast Cancer Screening: Reaching the hardest to reach women on the North Coast