Breast Screening

National screening programme

BreastScreen Aotearoa administer the national breast screening programme.

New patients

If the patient is new to the practice, check:

• transferred notes for any previous mammogram results
• any history of breast cancer
• that the correct screening codes have been recorded, if applicable
• that they have been contacted by the programme, if eligible.

Enrolling patients

1. The practice encourages all eligible female patients between 45–69 to enrol for breast screening.
2. Update the patient's breast screening registration status (opt in/out or ineligible) in Indici.

   Until the patient confirms their preference, the default setting in the PMS is "opt in".

   If the patient declined, record the reason in the PMS.

   If a patient has opted off the mammogram screening programme, this must be clearly documented in their notes and added as a classification. To add classification, search ‘mammogram refused’ and add to the long-term problems. Highlight this entry and annotate with 'OPT OFF date of discussion with patient'. Complete recall as 'Declined'. Do not reset recall. Advise patient to contact Breast Screening to update their records.

3. Advise BreastScreen Aotearoa of any patients for whom the screening programme is not appropriate.

   For example if the patient:

   • has a terminal illness
   • has a severe health condition or impairment (intellectual or physical).
4. BreastScreen Aotearoa contact eligible patients who have opted in, inviting them to a screening appointment.
5. If patient has declined screening, enter a recall for 12 months.

Patients can also self-register via the BreastScreen Aotearoa website or by phone on 0800 270 200.

Women who are eligible for screening at more frequent intervals due to a higher risk, are referred via ERMs.

Results and recalls

BreastScreen Aotearoa send results directly to the patient and to the practice (unless the patient has requested that this should not happen), within 3 weeks. Patients whose results are abnormal are offered another free assessment.

Once enrolled in the programme, patients whose results are normal are recalled by BreastScreen Aotearoa.