The breast care team is a team of specialist nurses.

The team, which includes a breast nurse practitioner, are highly trained to provide emotional and psychological care and support to patients with benign breast disease, breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, and those with a family history.


Further information

The majority of our patients are direct referrals by their GPs, when the GP/patient has noticed a new symptom or change within the breast.

The one stop appointment often consists of clinical breast examination and consultation by a breast clinician, followed by one (or more) of the following – mammogram, ultrasound scan, core biopsy, fine needle aspiration. If the breast imagery highlighted any irregularities, then a biopsy will be performed.  If we are unable to perform your mammogram or ultrasound on the same day one will be arranged usually within 7 – 10 days of your appointment

Having a breast examination, breast images undertaken and tissue removal (biopsy) is a triple breast assessment and may be necessary to make a definite diagnosis.

  • North Tyneside General Hospital
  • Wansbeck General Hospital
  • Hexham General Hospital
  • Alnwick Community Hospital
  • Morpeth NHS Centre
  • Blyth Community Hospital.

 

You will be seen at one of our Trust locations, while we will endeavour to see you near to home it may be necessary to travel to a different location initially to be seen quicker.

We care for patients across a broad spectrum of diseases. The breast care nurses provide psychological support for patients diagnosed with breast cancer. They are a link between patients and consultants in surgery and oncology.  They meet our breast cancer patients at diagnosis and support them through their treatment. Our nurse practitioner and one of our breast nurses also do their own clinics to review patients who have had breast cancer treatment, family history patients and patients with benign breast problems. Patients who are not suspected of having cancer will also be seen by Pamela and Angela in low risk breast clinics.  

The nursing team are also involved with new initiatives. Patient Initiated Stratified Follow Up will begin in 2022, the breast nurses will be an integral part of this new follow up process.  

The Breast Care Nurses are committed to giving you the best possible holistic care and ensure they meet local and national guidelines. The team works constantly to improve the service in response to patients' comments and take part in local and national patient audits. The BCN’s provide a link between patients and consultants in surgery and oncology and will meet patients with a new diagnosis and support them through their treatment and beyond. Some appointments will be with your consultant and some will be with our Nurse Practitioner or Specialist Nurses.

We provide a wide range of services including:

  • Nurse-led Low Risk diagnostic/follow up clinics
  • Nurse-led Patient Initiated Stratified Follow Up Clinics
  • Oncology advice/support
  • Lymphoedema
  • Seroma drainage/wound care
  • Reconstruction advice
  • Prosthesis service
  • Health promotion
  • Secondary breast cancer advice/support

The breast care nurses attend the weekly multi-disciplinary team meeting and contribute to discussions regarding patients and act as the patient’s advocate in the meeting. The breast care nurses contribute to planning and delivering education locally and nationally, promotes evidence based holistic care and regularly monitors services they provide by compiling regular local patient questionnaires and taking part in the national cancer patient survey. The breast care nurses work closely with other support services, local charities, psychology service, GPs, chemotherapy unit, oncology service, Macmillan and refer as appropriate.

Pamela Turnbull - Specialist Nurse Practitioner: 01670 529636

Angela Hendry – Breast Senior Specialist Nurse/Practitioner: 01434 655 386

Kathryn Kay - Breast Care Senior Specialist Nurse/Practitioner: 07813363870

Karen Edwards - Breast Care Specialist Nurse: 01670 529319

Elaine Hamilton - Breast Care Specialist Nurse: 01670 529319

Charlotte Hudson - Breast Care Specialist Nurse: 0191 2934183

Lauren Petrie - Breast Care Specialist Nurse: 0191 2934183

Samantha Toward - Breast Care Specialist Nurse: 0191 2934183