Breast and Cervical Screening Awareness Programme
24 June 2009
The Women’s Resource and Development Agency currently offer a Breast and Cervical Screening Awareness Programme aimed at women’s groups and community groups within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. The project combines the resources of the community development sector and the health sector in order to increase uptake of screening services.
The programme materials were designed in partnership with health professionals and are based on principles of peer learning. The programme is normally delivered over 3 sessions but can be tailored according to a group’s needs.
The sessions explore why women are reluctant to go for screening and why women don’t prioritise their own health. The importance of breast awareness, breast screening and cervical screening are also addressed using interactive training resources where women fully participate in all the activities. The programme is delivered in an informal atmosphere with the use of interactive materials that encourage women to feel relaxed and confident enough to discuss the issues.
“I now know what to expect. The course takes the mystery out of it” Group Participant
There are also Special Community Clinics, which are run in conjunction with Action Cancer, available whereby a group of women who would normally have difficulty in accessing screening services (e.g. women with a disability) can go as a group to Action Cancer to receive a mammogram.
If you would like more information on the Breast and Cervical Screening Awareness Programme or Special Community Clinics please contact Duana McArdle at WRDA on 02890 230212 duana.mcardle@wrda.net
