New Breast Care Unit officially opened at County Hospital in Stafford

A ribbon-cutting ceremony has marked the official opening of the new Breast Care Unit at County Hospital in Stafford, several months after the purpose-built centre welcomed its first patients.

Staff, patients, volunteers and supporters gathered at the hospital on Monday 5 October to celebrate the new facility, which brings consultations, diagnostic imaging, outpatient care and patient support together under one roof.

The two-storey unit began seeing patients in April and replaces breast care facilities which had been based within the main County Hospital building for decades.

The Stafford Spotter attended the official opening and spoke with staff, patients and representatives from a local cancer support charity about their experiences of the new centre.

Breast care brought together in one building

One of the major changes is that different parts of a patient’s breast care journey can now take place within the same purpose-built unit.

The previous facilities had served Stafford for around 40 years but were no longer considered suitable for the way modern breast services operate. Patients could also need to move between different areas of the hospital for parts of their assessment and care.

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust says the new layout has been designed to improve privacy and patient flow and reduce the amount of movement between departments.

There are four dedicated consultation rooms alongside a fifth hybrid room which can also be used as an enhanced treatment room for smaller procedures.

The unit also has three quiet counselling rooms, two mammography rooms, two ultrasound rooms and additional radiology facilities.

Modern imaging equipment includes breast tomosynthesis, which produces detailed images through different layers of breast tissue and can help clinicians investigate abnormalities.

Dedicated prosthesis fitting room

Another important part of the new facility is a dedicated room for breast prosthesis fittings.

Breast prostheses can be used by patients following a mastectomy and are available in different shapes, sizes and weights. UHNM’s service also provides advice to help patients find an appropriate prosthesis and suitable bras.

Having a dedicated fitting space within the breast care service provides additional privacy for what can be a particularly personal part of a patient’s care.

The unit has also been designed with quieter areas and counselling rooms for patients who may be receiving difficult news or need additional support.

More tests can be carried out in Stafford

The new centre is equipped with more modern diagnostic technology, allowing additional tests to be carried out at County Hospital rather than requiring some patients to travel to Royal Stoke University Hospital.

When the unit welcomed its first patient in April, UHNM said this was intended to make the service more joined-up and allow patients to move through assessment, imaging and consultation more smoothly.

The Trust has previously stressed that the new building does not in itself increase the number of patients the service can see. Instead, the investment is focused on providing facilities that are better suited to modern breast care and improving the experience for those attending.

County Hospital’s breast service diagnoses and treats people with both cancerous and non-cancerous breast conditions. UHNM says around 650 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed through the service each year.

Patients speak positively about new centre

Patients attending Monday’s official opening spoke positively to The Stafford Spotter about the care they had received since the new facility began operating.

Some described attending for a scan and being able to discuss their results with a consultant within around 90 minutes of their appointment.

Individual appointment times and pathways will vary depending on the tests required, but those experiences were highlighted as examples of how having services together in one location can make the process more straightforward for patients.

The Stafford Spotter also spoke with representatives from Terrible Titties & Other Bitties, a Stafford-based charity supporting people whose lives have been affected by cancer.

The charity’s members include women with first-hand experience of breast cancer and treatment, and representatives at the opening spoke positively about the service being provided at the new unit.

Terrible Titties & Other Bitties meets at Stafford Rugby Club on the first Wednesday of each month and provides emotional support, practical help and opportunities for people affected by cancer to connect with others who have been through similar experiences.

First patients arrived in April

The Breast Care Unit welcomed its first patient in late April.

At the time, UHNM said the new building had been developed in response to increasing referrals and advances in breast care which had made the previous facilities unsuitable for modern services.

The first patient, Helen Bishop from Newcastle-under-Lyme, described the new unit as calm and praised the breast care team after attending for results.

UHNM Superintendent Radiographer Michelle Ellitts said at the time that the new building would provide a more joined-up experience, with improved patient flow and the ability to perform more tests in one place.

Monday’s ribbon cutting now formally marks the opening of a facility that has already been caring for patients for around five months.