- Conference
- 2003 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 7 February 2003
- Decision
- Carried
Conference is concerned at the ever-increasing number of women suffering from breast cancer and the postcode lottery of treatment and survival rates that still operate throughout the United Kingdom and blights women’s lives.
This Conference is concerned that women living in rural areas/small towns are only invited for breast cancer screening when the mobile unit is in their area. This may mean that some women are not screened until the age of 53 as their date of birth falls after the unit has moved on to another area. Breast cancer screening is recommended for women from the age of 50.
This system of mobile units, whilst better than no screening at all, means women in rural areas of Yorkshire and Humberside get less effective treatment than women who live in the larger conurbation’s, e.g. Sheffield/Leeds which have permanent screening facilities.
Conference believes that women should be entitled to equality of and access to treatment irrespective of where they reside, including information on alternative and complementary therapies. Conference believes that women should be entitled to fast track diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer.
By this time next year, when the 2004 National Women’s Conference meets, another 39,000 more women will have been diagnosed with breast cancer. By this time next year, over 13,000 more women will have died in the UK from breast cancer.
Each year in October, national breast cancer charities campaign on breast cancer awareness, and we are all much more breast aware than ever before. What we are less well informed about is the causes of breast cancer, and how we individually as women, or collectively can develop our own pathways to prevent breast cancer. UNISON is urged to find ways in which our members, both now and in the future become much more aware of preventative measures we can all take to minimize the risk of breast cancer.
The United Kingdom Breast Cancer Coalition (UKBCC) is the UK’s leading campaigning charity on breast cancer. UNISON is a national affiliate to the UKBCC.
Conference is further concerned that there is still little information available to women seeking to return to work following treatment for breast cancer.
Conference instructs the National Women’s Committee:
1)To campaign in support of the introduction of one stop centres for breast cancer awareness, prevention and treatment including alternative and complementary treatments for breast cancer.
2)
2) To campaign, in conjunction with the Breast Cancer Coalition, for the right of all women to be screened for breast cancer regularly irrespective of the area or postcode in which they live.
3)To research European Best Practice on breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
4)To produce Best Practice Guidelines for branches and employers to allow women to return to work following treatment for breast cancer which protects women’s health, safety and welfare at work.
5)
5)Liaise with the Affiliated Political Fund and Health Service Group to ensure that adequate funding is made available.
6)Encourage regions to promote awareness/training for women in UNISON regarding breast cancer.
This Conference urges every single woman delegate at this National Women’s Conference to go back to their branch, or to their region, to ask that their branch, or Region consider affiliation to the UKBCC, and to consider how to take breast cancer campaigning forward locally and regionally.
By working together we can make a difference.