❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding BreastScreen WA's budget, promotional activities, and participation rates, with detailed financial information and program descriptions provided in the answer. The government outlines strategies to improve screening rates.
AnsweredQoN 1461Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Breast Screen Australia and Breast Screen WA and ask: (a) what was Breast Screen WA’s budget in 2008–2009, 2009–2010, 2010–2011, 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 and what is the budget in 2013–2014 and across the forward estimates; (b) what programs and promotion does the State government currently undertake to encourage women in the target age group to be screened for breast cancer; (c) of the programs and promotion in (b): (i) what was the budget in 2008–2009, 2009–2010, 2010–2011, 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 and what is the budget in 2013–2014 and across the forward estimates; and (ii) what programs and promotion directly targets groups with lower screening rates, women living in rural and remote area, Aboriginal women and women from linguistically diverse backgrounds; and (d) given that only 55 per cent of women in the target age range for the BreastScreen WA program have used their free screenings, what will the State government do to increase this percentage and encourage more women to be screened?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
3 February 2014
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
95 days
(a)
2008-09 $10,136,584.03 Actual
2009-10 $10,870,942.59 Actual
2010-11 $11,654,491.37 Actual
2011-12 $13,185,535.11 Actual
2012-13 $15,016,382.00 Actual
2013-14 $14,557,207.00 Est (indicative appropriation, excl depreciation)
2014-15 $14,993,923.21 Est (3% escalation)
2015-16 $15,443,740.91 Est (3% escalation)
2016-17 $15,907,053.13 Est (3% escalation)
(b) Presentations to women's groups.
Displays at public forums - annual women's expos, conferences at specific times of year - Mother's day, International Women's day, October month.
BreastScreen WA (BSWA) provides mammography screening state-wide. It aims to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with breast cancer through early detection. Personalised invitations are sent to women when they turn 50 years based on the electoral roll and rescreening letters every two years to existing clients.
The General Practitioner (GP) Liaison Officer works collaboratively with GP practices to contact eligible women to participate in the BSWA program. The GP Liaison Officer works in partnership with the Cancer Council WA, Family Planning WA to promote the program. The GP Liaison Officer coordinates quarterly meetings of the GP Advisory Group comprising representatives from GP stakeholder organisations including Hospital Liaison GPs and Rural GPs.
(c)(i) Promotion to encourage screening for breast cancer is integral to the program and service delivery. There is no separate quarantined funding allocated for individual promotional activities and strategies.
(ii) Rural initiatives include paid and unpaid local newspaper advertisements and other media. Resources are supplied to all key contacts in each town, including GPs.
The service employs a 5 FTE
health promotions team including a fulltime Aboriginal Health promotion officer. An Aboriginal Women's Reference Group and a Multicultural Consumer Reference Group contribute to service planning.
There are a number of culturally appropriate presentations and events to Aboriginal and linguistically diverse groups delivered during the year including 'Picnic in the Park' to celebrate Breast Cancer Month. There is also an Aboriginal Health Workers train the trainer package and specific merchandise targeting Aboriginal women. Culturally appropriate print/radio advertisements and community announcements are delivered to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) and low socio-economic metropolitan and rural areas. Translation services are offered to all language groups.
(d) For the most recent 24 month participation rate (January 2011 to December 2012) for women 50 to 69 years, the participation rate for BreastScreen WA was 59%. The average national average participation rate was 55% in 2010.
New strategies to increase participation rates include a social media campaign including online appointment booking due to commence in early 2014, a website redevelopment and a BreastScreen WA Facebook page. Quick Reference (QR) codes are being printed on all resources, directing the public to the BreastScreen WA website. The Service plans to develop a business case for a TV advertising campaign in the 2014 - 2015 financial year.
As a cost effective long term promotional strategy, BreastScreen WA has been working with a number of shire councils to place advertisements in the public female toilets of sporting and cultural facilities as convenience advertising. The program will be increasing the scope of this convenience advertising initiative in early 2014 with other shires and public facilities.
2008-09 $10,136,584.03 Actual
2009-10 $10,870,942.59 Actual
2010-11 $11,654,491.37 Actual
2011-12 $13,185,535.11 Actual
2012-13 $15,016,382.00 Actual
2013-14 $14,557,207.00 Est (indicative appropriation, excl depreciation)
2014-15 $14,993,923.21 Est (3% escalation)
2015-16 $15,443,740.91 Est (3% escalation)
2016-17 $15,907,053.13 Est (3% escalation)
(b) Presentations to women's groups.
Displays at public forums - annual women's expos, conferences at specific times of year - Mother's day, International Women's day, October month.
BreastScreen WA (BSWA) provides mammography screening state-wide. It aims to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with breast cancer through early detection. Personalised invitations are sent to women when they turn 50 years based on the electoral roll and rescreening letters every two years to existing clients.
The General Practitioner (GP) Liaison Officer works collaboratively with GP practices to contact eligible women to participate in the BSWA program. The GP Liaison Officer works in partnership with the Cancer Council WA, Family Planning WA to promote the program. The GP Liaison Officer coordinates quarterly meetings of the GP Advisory Group comprising representatives from GP stakeholder organisations including Hospital Liaison GPs and Rural GPs.
(c)(i) Promotion to encourage screening for breast cancer is integral to the program and service delivery. There is no separate quarantined funding allocated for individual promotional activities and strategies.
(ii) Rural initiatives include paid and unpaid local newspaper advertisements and other media. Resources are supplied to all key contacts in each town, including GPs.
The service employs a 5 FTE
health promotions team including a fulltime Aboriginal Health promotion officer. An Aboriginal Women's Reference Group and a Multicultural Consumer Reference Group contribute to service planning.
There are a number of culturally appropriate presentations and events to Aboriginal and linguistically diverse groups delivered during the year including 'Picnic in the Park' to celebrate Breast Cancer Month. There is also an Aboriginal Health Workers train the trainer package and specific merchandise targeting Aboriginal women. Culturally appropriate print/radio advertisements and community announcements are delivered to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) and low socio-economic metropolitan and rural areas. Translation services are offered to all language groups.
(d) For the most recent 24 month participation rate (January 2011 to December 2012) for women 50 to 69 years, the participation rate for BreastScreen WA was 59%. The average national average participation rate was 55% in 2010.
New strategies to increase participation rates include a social media campaign including online appointment booking due to commence in early 2014, a website redevelopment and a BreastScreen WA Facebook page. Quick Reference (QR) codes are being printed on all resources, directing the public to the BreastScreen WA website. The Service plans to develop a business case for a TV advertising campaign in the 2014 - 2015 financial year.
As a cost effective long term promotional strategy, BreastScreen WA has been working with a number of shire councils to place advertisements in the public female toilets of sporting and cultural facilities as convenience advertising. The program will be increasing the scope of this convenience advertising initiative in early 2014 with other shires and public facilities.
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