It is international breast cancer awareness month, and a centre of excellence in Essex has won an accolade from The National Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Audit.
The audit found the St Andrew’s Centre at Broomfield Hospital has a much greater success rate of breast reconstruction that the national average. Nationally 14% of breasts are restructured after a tumour is removed, at St. Andrews 46% of patients have reconstructive surgery. The NHS unit in Chelmsford covers all of Essex, Ipswich and parts of London. Last year 300 breast reconstructions were performed in Broomfield.
The report also highlighted how the St Andrew’s team is able to offer more women over the age of 70 the opportunity for immediate reconstruction than anywhere else in the country.
“We run one of the biggest breast reconstruction services covering the whole of Essex and North East London. The increase in uptake for immediate breast reconstruction demonstrates a real need and desire for this surgery by patients. It has proven medical and psychological benefits and we shouldn’t underplay the part reconstruction plays in a woman’s recovery from breast cancer. I am delighted that the number of women being given immediate breast reconstruction has increased, but there is still more to do to ensure that women are being given the best possible treatment.” Venkat Ramakrishnan, St Andrew’s, Broomfield Hospital.
This is great news for Broomfield Hospital as it highlights that the hard work that they are doing is improving the quality women’s lives all over Essex.
For more information on the St. Andrews team at Broomfield Hospital visit the Mid Essex Hospital Trust website.
A super unit with the Uk’s leading reconstruction consultants, we are very lucky in Essex.