Our breast clinics are available to both women and men on referral from a GP. If you are worried about breast cancer symptoms, see your GP. If necessary, your GP will refer you to the hospital for more tests. This may include mammograms, ultrasound or biopsy tests to find out more information.
Face to face clinics are held at the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford (WHH), Kent & Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury (K&C), The Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital, Margate (QEQM), Buckland Hospital, Dover (BHD) and The Royal Victoria Hospital, Folkestone (RVHF).
All patients referred to our breast clinics are seen within two weeks from the date we received the GP referral. Your first assessment may be done in a “One Stop” clinic. One Stop appointments are offered at Ashford, Canterbury and Margate and in these appointments, all tests are carried out during your first visit to the clinic. Patients are triaged by a clinician into these slots dependant on their symptoms, age and any relevant family history.
Patients who have been recalled for further tests following a Breast Screening mammogram may subsequently be referred to one of our breast clinics for treatment and/or further diagnostic tests.
About one in eight women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. There’s a good chance of recovery if it’s detected in its early stages. The vast majority of people who are seen at a breast clinic will not have breast cancer. However, it is still important to attend your breast clinic appointment so you can be fully assessed.
A range of support services are available to breast cancer patients. Please speak to your Breast Care Nurse for further information. The following breast support groups are available:
Breast Friends Breast Cancer Support Group
Kent & Canterbury Hospital – 2nd Tuesday of every month Cathedral Day Unit, Kent & Canterbury. For further information contact Nessy or Suzannah, Breast Care Clinical Nurse Specialists on 01227 868666.
Just Ours Breast Cancer Support Group
William Harvey Hospital – 2nd Wednesday of every month, Paula Carr Centre, 7pm. For further details contact Fiona or Louise, Breast Cancer Nurse Specialist 01227 868666.
Thanet Bosom Pals
Queens Road Baptist Church, Queens Road, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 1NU.
1st Thursday of every month, 19:30 – 21:30. Contact Sheila 07792252675 or email support@thanetbosompals.co.uk
Breast Cancer Girls of Deal Support Group
Contact Chantele Louise Rashbrook on Facebook.
BRCA Kent
BRCA Kent is a Breast Cancer Support Group for women living in Kent who have inherited the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic fault. For further information please visit http://brcakent.org.uk/
Our teams are based across The Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital, Kent and Canterbury Hospital and the William Harvey Hospital.
To contact our teams please speak to The Cancer Care Line on 01227 868 666
Cancer Care Line
01227 868 666 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am - 4pm)
This is a central helpline for all patients who have come into contact with a Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialist or the Macmillan Acute Oncology Team. Not all people that are given this number have cancer, some may be undergoing investigations to rule it out.
The people that answer your calls are not medically trained and in order for them to direct you to correct person/ team, they will ask for some clinical and personal information.
The Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists run designated phone clinics, therefore if appropriate you will be booked onto the next available telephone clinic which may not be the same day.
If the Cancer Care Line Co-ordinator's triage indicates you require urgent clinical advice, you will be put through to the specialist nurse of the day.
Out of Hours
Please call 111 for urgent advice or call 999 in a medical emergency
