Breast reconstruction surgery

Overview

Attending breast clinic appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic

If you have been referred by your GP to the breast service at the Royal Free London, it is important you attend this appointment. You'll receive a letter, phone call or text from us containing the details of when and where this appointment will take place.

We would like to assure you that we are following strict infection prevention and control precautions in our clinics. Social distancing is being observed in our waiting rooms, and we kindly ask you to come alone to your appointment, and only bring someone with you if absolutely necessary. This is to help us prevent overcrowding in our waitings rooms.

If you have any questions about your appointment, please do contact us using the telephone number on your letter.​

What is breast reconstruction surgery?

Breast reconstruction surgery is a type of operation that reconstructs the breast following mastectomy – an operation which removes the whole breast.

Reconstructive breast surgery may be provided to Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust patients following breast cancer surgery. However, reconstruction is often performed as a result of one or both breasts being removed following breast cancer treatment.

Breast screening and breast reconstruction after mastectomy at the Royal Free Hospital

We provide breast screening and breast reconstruction after mastectomy in our breast clinic or as an in-patient at the Royal Free Hospital. As part of the NHS breast screening programme we offer free breast screening, every three years, to women aged 50 and over.

Our breast surgeons are part of a multidisciplinary breast cancer team which includes oncologists, nuclear medicine and nursing support. Breast ultrasound is undertaken at our clinic, as is fine needle aspiration cytology – a procedure used to test for breast lumps under the skin. 

Patients attending the “triple assessment” clinics can often have all necessary breast screening and testing in the same visit.

For information about the types of breast reconstruction we provide at Royal Free or to find our breast clinic and in-patient ward, see the left hand navigation.

Contact

Do you have an appointment?

Find your ward

  • Barnet Hospital

    Wellhouse Lane 
    Barnet 
    EN5 3DJ

    Patient enquiries: 020 8375 1283 / 020 8370 9079 (out-patient department) 

                              020 8216 4924 (Patient advice and liaison service)

    GP enquiries: 020 8216 4504 / 4206

  • Chase Farm Hospital

    The Ridgeway
    Enfield
    EN2 8JL

    Patient enquiries: 020 8375 4000

    GP enquiries: 020 8375 4000 1914 / 2243

  • The Royal Free Hospital

    Pond Street
    Hampstead
    NW3 2QG

    Patient enquiries: 020 7443 9757 (out-patient department)

                              020 7472 6446 / 6447; 020 7472 6445 (Patient advice and liaison service)

    GP enquiries: 020 8794 0500 x 38379 / 33946

Referrals

Referral details

To avoid delay, GP referrals should be addressed to colorectal consultant surgeon or a named consultant surgeon.

Barnet & Chase Farm: Please Fax all referrals for BCF to CAO – 0208 375 1977.

Royal Free London: The service is accessed by a letter of referral from a GP to the breast surgery consultants, these can be faxed to 020 7830 2194 or posted to the department. 

Urgent referrals on North London Cancer Network proformas for suspected breast cancers can be faxed to the new referrals office (020 7433 2951 / 020 7433 2950) and are seen within 14 days of receipt in the trust in accordance with national guidelines. 

Electronic referrals from a GP may be made through the choose and book system. Tertiary referrals from other hospital consultants and from the breast screening programme are also available. 
  

The Team

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