A patient’s journey through Spire Norwich Hospital’s one-stop breast clinic

After finding a lump in her breast in June of last year, and following a consultation with her GP, Lynn Crombie made the decision to use her private medical insurance and contacted Spire Norwich Hospital to make an appointment with a specialist breast consultant.

“I wanted to get the lump checked out as soon as possible, as I feared it could be cancerous and expected this would most likely involve scans and biopsies,” Lynn explained, as she recalled the events of last year. “I knew this would be available during my visit to the one-stop breast clinic at Spire Norwich Hospital, and I was able to get an appointment within 48 hours.”

Lynn Crombie (pictured) with her two dogs

At Spire Norwich Hospital’s one-stop breast clinic, a patient can book an appointment at the clinic and be seen within a few days – whether referred by their GP or having self-referred. The patient will typically spend between two and four hours at their first one-stop breast clinic appointment, where they’ll have an initial consultation with the consultant and an expert physical examination. This will be followed by a mammogram and/or ultrasound scan (as per the consultant’s request), and a biopsy (if required), which will all take place within the same area of the hospital, on the same day. 

Discovering a lump in your breast can be very distressing and any time spent waiting for a diagnosis can seem like an eternity. Spire Norwich Hospital’s one-stop breast clinic has a compassionate, efficient team of specialists who work together to help diagnose the cause with minimal waiting time for results. From initial consultation to diagnosis and treatment, the team aim to offer a continuous and seamless patient journey to achieve the best and most effective medical care.

Lynn said: “I was incredibly nervous and terrified, to the point where I was shaking and could barely speak. I first saw my consultant and the Specialist Breast Care Nurse who outlined why I was there. They were extremely calm, reassuring and explained exactly what would happen next, and what tests would be carried out and why.

“Before having a mammogram and an ultrasound, the radiologist explained what would happen, what he was looking for and what potential tests may follow. It was confirmed that the lump was likely to be a cancer, and he would do a biopsy. Obviously, the diagnosis was shocking but my husband was able to be there for support during the biopsy, and also to be with me to ask any questions we had.”

On further examination of Lynn’s scans, it was decided she needed further tests after other areas of potential concern were found. An appointment was made for her to attend the clinic the following week.

With the confirmed findings of other areas of pre-cancerous cells, the multi-disciplinary team put together a treatment plan and Lynn was able to have surgery four weeks after her first appointment at the one-stop breast clinic.

“As someone who really needs to know as much information as possible, to be able to process and understand, I was given as much time as I wanted to ask questions about what would happen before and during the surgery, and what I was likely to expect afterwards,” Lynn explained.

“From the first appointment, I have always felt that I was in safe hands and that every step was being taken to make sure the treatment plan was right for me, to ensure the best possible outcome – not just for now, but for the future.

“A cancer diagnosis is something you never want to get, but to go away knowing that there is a plan in place and having the reassurance and confidence about what is going to happen helps immensely.”

Spire Norwich Hospital have two dedicated specialist breast care nurses who are part of the multi-disciplinary team at the one-stop breast clinic. Trudy Garriock and Caryn Mason are there to support patients through every step of their journey and answer any questions that they may have, keeping them informed and reassured.

Trudy Garriock, Specialist Breast Care Nurse at Spire Norwich Hospital adds: “I am very privileged to work with a dedicated team of professionals within our breast clinic at Spire Norwich Hospital. We are all committed to provide the best possible care and outcomes for our patients and to ensure that they are completely informed in a timely manner, at every step of their journey.

“I support patients and their relatives at consultation and when they attend clinic for the results. And if they require surgery, I will visit them during their stay on the ward. My role is varied, but very worthwhile knowing that I can provide the support needed when patients are often facing a devastating diagnosis. Seeing them going through their journey and coming out the other side makes my job very rewarding.”

Lynn continues: “I feel that I was treated as an individual, and even following on from surgery, the aftercare was such that I was back at the gym, as well as running within weeks, following advice from the physiotherapist at Spire Norwich Hospital. After a devastating diagnosis, I feel extremely fortunate to have received the care and support I did from the whole team at Spire Norwich.”