Role of the BreastScreen NSW State Coordination Unit

The State Co-ordination Unit is responsible for planning, implementation and coordination of BreastScreen NSW according to national and state aims. The unit is a business unit of Western Sydney Area Health Service. The State Co-ordination Unit has a Performance and Funding Agreement with the NSW Department of Health. The Performance and Funding Agreement defines the statewide responsibilities of the BreastScreen NSW State Co-ordination Unit, which include:

• strategic, service, workforce and financial planning;
• statewide recruitment initiatives;
• quality management and accreditation;
• data collection, monitoring and performance evaluation.

The State Co-ordination Unit liaises with the Screening and Assessment Services, Area Health Services, private boards of management, peak professional groups, consumer organisations and the NSW Department of Health on all issues relevant to the effective implementation of the Program.

Role of the Screening and Assessment Services

Screening and Assessment Services provide screening and assessment for eligible women in NSW through a network of fixed and mobile screening units and fixed assessment centres. Multidisciplinary teams of specially trained radiologists, radiographers, pathologists, surgeons, counsellors, recruitment officers, data managers and administrative personnel staff services.

Screening and Assessment Services operate under Performance and Funding Agreements between Western Sydney Area Health Service, as the State Program Manager and the respective Area Health Service or private board of management.

The Performance and Funding Agreements specify the specific screening targets to be achieved at the Service level in a given period, the funding arrangements and quality and outcome criteria derived from the National Accreditation Standards.

The Screening and Assessment Pathway

BreastScreen NSW aims for the highest standards of equity of access, acceptability to women and health professionals and service quality. The Program can only be successful in reducing mortality from breast cancer if:

• women who are eligible to attend for screening are effectively recruited and continue to be screened at two yearly intervals;
• women are satisfied with the service provided by BreastScreen NSW and are supplied with appropriate information on the importance of regular screening and its relationship to their on-going health;
• health professionals, and in particular general practitioners, are involved and support BreastScreen NSW through referring women to the Program, providing feedback on quality and being involved in continuing education;
• abnormalities detected through screening are followed-up by prompt recall for assessment;
• assessment services are available to diagnose abnormalities, counsel women with abnormal results and refer them appropriately for treatment.