sellymack

Do any of you know whether it is normal practise here in Italy for the local ASL to call women up for regular breast screening/smear tests? I live in the Pavia area and have always had my gyny appointments through the local hospital, but only when pregnant and having my first baby. I had my second one in England, not wishing to go through another bad experience like my first. Other than that I have only had one smear test and one mammogram here, which I arranged privately. All my Italian girlfriends seem to pay to go privately and don't appear to have regular screening. I am 41 now so should be getting screened every couple of years I think. How have you found things are organised where you live? Many thanks.

sellymack

Don't know what happened with the smilie there! Sorry about that..

Mitzyboy

You cant put smileys in thread titles

37100

Sellysmack, I can tell you how it works here in Verona. I'm in the smear test program so I get called so I get called up regularly but you can just book a test at your local ussl. Some of my friends it more convenient just to turn up at the local hospital. It is free here. There is now also a program for breast screening for over 50's, early than that you can get one as long as you pay the ticket. We can also pop into our local ussl to speak to the midwife/nurse/gyno if we have an urgent problems or to arrange a check- up's with them. For a check-up with the gyno you must have a fairly recent pap test and we only have to pay a ticket. A lot of women do have everything done privately in Italy but at least here in Verona, it's choice.

sellymack

Thanks Mitzyboy for the tecno info... I feel a bit silly now!!

sellymack

Thanks for that, it sounds like your local health authority works better than ours here in Lombardia, but that's no surprise really. I'm interested in this scheme you're in, I haven't heard of anything like that here.

Patty

Sellymack - I'm in Piemonte and I got called up for a pap test not long after moving here. Not sure what age they start them though. I get an automatic call every 2 or 3 yrs.
We also have a mammogram programme for over 45's - its called Progetto Serena. However saying that I'm 47 and haven't been called up yet - so I went through my doctor and have one booked through the ASL. They have changed the booking system too and put a centralised number in so that when you call they can now give you the first available appointment in your area. Therefore I was given a choice between a hospital nearby in May or a bit further away in March. So it works quite well. See if at your local ASL there is any sort of womens clinic or Progetto like this.

ps: I think the jade goody news in the UK has had alot of women suddenly booking smears - they say the percentage has shot up !

.Ariel.

I booked myself in for my first Italian smear at the ASL last year. I can't see any reason to have gone private for it. I think they said to go back in a year. I don't know if I 'll get called to go for it or if I'll have to make an appointment myself. It was free. I'm 32 y.o.

Never had a breast screening, I wouldn't mind having one but I think I might be too young to have in on the health service.

Lorna at Vicenza

I must have automatically been put on the free screening programme for smear tests as I started to get letters some years ago now.

The letter says that an appointment has been reserved for me on such a day at such a time at the local hospital and if for any reason I can't go then to call the following phone number.

I get an appointment letter every two years. I have also been called back twice for a colposcopy. Everything has been free.

My 42yr old friend got a free mammogram and is now part of the free screening programme because there is a history of breast cancer in her family.

sellymack

Thanks for your replies. I will contact my asl to see what the situation is. I did have some trouble booking routine gyny appointments through them though, so I don't hold out much hope. They told me that the waiting lists in my area were upwards of 5 months last year, so I gave up. No wonder I've had 2 unplanned pregnancies in the last 3 years, (unfortunately neither went full-term). I don't understand how women here manage to look after themselves. I managed to see my old gp back in the Uk for a time, but then they took me off the register because I was no longer a uk resident, so that stopped. The story with Jade Goody has definitely highlighted the problem for many, but I wonder how many similar stories happen here that we don't know about because it doesn't happen to celebrities.

Lorna at Vicenza

Sellymack ...... do you know the number assigned to your local ULSS ? For example mine is ULSS 5

They have their own website and on that is also a whole page dedicated to the
"campagna screening" and there is a phone number too.

You might have something similar. If you don't know you the number you could pm me your comune name and I could look it up for you. The number on 'my' website is direct to the appointment centre for free screening and doesn't actually go through the ASL so you might be able to cut out the middle man so to speak.

sellymack

Thanks Lorna, I am under comune di Marzano, Pavia, but have no idea of the number...

Lorna at Vicenza

just going to pop a link to a list of ULSS here incase anybody else might need it in the future .......

http://fmfpc.altervista.org/directory/istituzioni2.htm

Lorna at Vicenza

Smellymack - it would seem that not all regions have divided their ULSS into numbers like the Veneto but some into just the comune name.

Here is the page for Pavia where the province does indeed have a free screening programme in place and there is a free-phone number too.

http://www.asl.pavia.it/webasl/Perco...a?OpenFrameSet

sellymack

Thanks for your trouble - you're a star