Two breast care nurses have described the role they play in one stop clinics – giving patients a range of diagnosis and support in a single hospital visit.
Advanced breast nurse practitioners Melissa McKie and Val Cross are key members of the one stop and breast pain clinics at the University Hospital of North Tees.
Melissa and Val support a busy one stop service providing rapid, same-day diagnosis and evaluation for women who present with breast concerns.
This service is currently led by breast consultants and senior doctors in the service with significant support from other members of the service.
Val said: “The one stop clinics are a way of patients having the investigations they need – including a mammogram, ultrasound, clinical examination and any other further tests.
“This can all take place in one visit to hospital, meaning a same diagnosis that results in a better experience for patients.
“The feedback we get from our patients is fantastic – they are happy with the holistic approach of the service.”
Supporting the breast pain pathway
Melissa added: “The main focus of our role was to recommence and support the breast pain pathway for women who are referred by their GP.
“The breast pain pathway is a clinical approach used to assess and manage patients presenting with breast pain who don’t require any imaging studies. Once a diagnosis of cyclical or non-cyclical breast pain is established, reassurance and conservative management is offered.
Melissa and Val are hoping to train more nurses in the near future to a more specialist level, which will enable them to run the clinics as a nurse-led service.