Overview
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BHS has a funding and service agreement with BreastScreen Victoria to oversee the functioning of the free mammographic breast screening and assessment service to asymptomatic women throughout Western Victoria. The service utilizes state of the art digital technology which delivers high resolution imaging with minimal radiation exposure in a timely manner. Grampians BreastScreen operates as part of the national BreastScreen Australia program and functions within the framework of its National Accreditation Standards. Both screening and assessment occur in Ballarat and screening only occurs in an associated fixed site at Horsham. |
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Contact Numbers for BreastScreen
| GP Hotline | 03 5320 6659 |
| Appointments: | 13 20 50 |
| Ballarat office | 03 5320 3527 Fax: 0320 6658 |
| Horsham office: | 03 5381 9237 |
Locations:
| Ballarat | Queen Elizabeth Centre, 102 Ascot Street Sth, Ballarat Screening sessions: Monday to Friday |
| Horsham | Wimmera Base Hospital, Baillie Street, Horsham Screening sessions: Monday and Tuesdays |
| Hamilton | BreastScreen Victoria mobile screening service visits every two years last visit 2009, next visit April-June 2010 which will accomodate 2 yearly re-invitation cycles. |
| Birchip | BreastScreen Victoria mobile screening service visits every two years last visit 2009, next visit 2011 which will accomodate 2 yearly re-invitation cycles. |
Postal Address:
102 Ascot Street South
Ballarat, Victoria 3353
Service Hours: 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday
Referral and Fees: No doctor’s referral is required for a woman to use this free service
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Director/Chief Radiologist Chief Radiographer |
Program Manager Information Worker
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Nurse Counsellor Information Worker |
ELIGIBILITY
The primary target group for screening is women between the ages of 50 and 69 and these women, once they have screened are regularly re-invited for re-screening every two years. Women aged 40 – 49 and over 70 are also eligible for a free mammogram every two years however they will not be routinely re-invited.
Please Note:
BreastScreen is a screening service for asymptomatic women only. No referral is required.
If your patient has a symptom she is a candidate for further investigation via diagnostic mammography and referral is required.
Most women attend for their mammogram and are completed within 20 minutes. The images are read independently by two Radiologists. BreastScreen then sends a system generated letter to both the woman and her general practitioner stating that no signs of cancer were present or that she has been nominated for recall for further investigations at the assessment clinic.
ASSESSMENT
Assessment Clinics are held weekly alternating on Wednesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. All women regardless of where they have been screened are invited back to 102 Ascot Street South, Ballarat to be further reviewed by the multidisciplinary team.
The team consists of Nurse/Counselors, Radiologist, Radiographer, Sonographer, Surgeon, Pathologist, Receptionist and Nurses.
The Nurse/Counselors contact the relevant woman by telephone to advise of her recall, provide support if there are associated anxieties because of the recall and confirm an appointment time. The nurse/counselor will also make a courtesy call to the woman’s general practitioner to advise their patient has been recalled.
Upon arrival at the assessment clinic women are greeted by the nurse/counselor who will provide support throughout the process and provide information regarding the possible procedures required for a definitive diagnosis. These include: further mammography, ultrasound, core biopsy under ultrasound, vacuum assisted biopsy (Mammotome) or needle localization and surgical biopsy.
General Practitioners will be advised of the outcome of any of the above mentioned activities via letter. If a woman lives within an hour’s drive of the assessment clinic she is invited to return to the clinic to receive her results. If she lives further than an hour’s drive an appointment will be made with her general practitioner to receive the result locally. BreastScreen staff ensures that the result, together with any other relevant information is faxed to the General Practitioner prior to appointment time.
RESOURCES
Grampians BreastScreen Information Workers should have supplied your clinic with the latest BreastScreen literature, however if you require replenishment please contact Eunice Reynolds or Ana Lendrec on 53 203 527
