Breast Services
The West Norfolk Breast Care Unit is situated within the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), and also provides a service for the NHS Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP).
Breast Unit Service
The Breast Department sees patients in the clinic who have either been referred by their GP with a breast related problem, or who have been called for further assessment after their routine screening mammogram. We offer a 'One-stop' service during which a patient will be assessed and examined by one of the breast team, undergo imaging which may entail a mammogram and/or an ultrasound scan, and a biopsy (taking a small sample of breast tissue) if required. The findings of these investigations will be explained to the patient and any treatment required planned and carried out by the Breast Surgery team.
The Breast Surgeons in our department provide treatment for both patients diagnosed with breast cancer and also benign (non-cancerous) problems. Such treatment may include surgery with most up to date techniques being used. In addition, a full reconstructive service is available, for suitable patients, of required following treatment. This is offered by our surgeons in partnership with the Plastics Team at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Other treatments may be required including chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The chemotherapy is given at the Macmillan Unit within the QEH. However, radiotherapy is carried out elsewhere at a suitable centre for the patient and this can be at Addenbrooke's University Hospital in Cambridge, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital or Peterborough Hospital in North West Anglia. All treatment will be discussed and explained throughout by the Breast Care team.
King's Lynn Breast Screening Service (KLBSS)
This service offers free screening for all eligible women aged 50 to 70, every 3 years, within the locality.Women in this age range will be invited to attend automatically and those over 70 can refer themselves directly.
Read more here.
Sub Services
We work closely with the following departments:
- Radiology Department - provides expert imaging for diagnosis and management of breast patients.
- Nuclear Medicine Department - provides medicines that helps us with diagnosis and treatment of patients.
- Plastic Surgery Department - enables us to offer a full reconstructive service to suitable patients.
- Oncology Department - delivers treatment for cancer using modalities such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Our Breast Specialist Team
Some of the staff you may meet in the breast department are:
- Miss Amy Burger - Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon
- Miss Rachael Johnson - Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon
- Dr Elena Hopkins - Director of Breast Screening.
- Dr Lesley MacDonald – Specialist Breast Physician
- Dr Margaret Daly - Consultant Oncologist
- Dr Nicola Ainsworth - Consultant Oncologist
- Angela Holford – Specialist Breast Care Nurse
- Marie Robins – Specialist Breast Care Nurse
- Elaine Rudd – Specialist Breast Care and Reconstruction Nurse
- Gemma Harnwell - Specialist Breast Care Nurse
- Trudy Chapman - Breast Clinic Health Care Assistant
- Nicola Ward - Imaging and Programme Manager
- Alex Aves - Mammographer and Deputy Manager
- Louise Coggles - Mammographer & Advanced Practitioner
- Paula Holt - Mammographer
- Shelley Gordon-Cummings - Mammographer
- Charlotte Cutworth - Mammographer
- Marilyn O'Connell - Senior Assistant Practitioner
- Iashia Skeels - Trainee Assistant Practitioner
Contact details
Our consultants contact details can be found on our Consultants directory page.
Our Specialist Breast Care Nurses can be contacted on (01553) 613566.
Our Breast Screening Service can be contacted on 01553 613662.
Advice and information
If you have had surgery you may find the following information useful:
Useful web links
The following websites may contain information that is of use to you:
- Breast Cancer Care - Freephone 0808 800 6000
- Macmillan
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