New telephone clinic helps support patients with breast pain

A new telephone clinic has been developed at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) to help patients who present at their GPs with breast pain.

Breast pain is the most common breast-related complaint in primary care and approximately 70% of females will experience breast pain at some point in their lives. Patients can experience breast pain for several reasons, but breast pain alone is not a sign of cancer.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to provide an efficient and effective service was challenging and alternative options and adaptations had to be explored. Patients could not be seen face to face with the need to limit footfall through the hospital. Hence the Breast Care service was restructured. This included the initiation of a telephone clinic for patients with breast pain.

This initiative was introduced to provide a service where breast pain patients could safely be assessed and managed without needing to attend the hospital during the pandemic.

The new pathway, which is led by Physician Associate Chrystal Jumbo and Clinical Director Maria Verroiotou, has now been audited and re-audited and it has been found to work effectively and therefore has continued.

Previously, patients presenting with breast pain would be seen at the one stop symptomatic clinic within the Breast Service Line at UHP. However, appointments are restricted to 10-minute slots, and it was felt by the team that breast pain patients required more time.

The telephone appointments are 20 to 30 minutes long which provides breast pain patients with the necessary time to discuss their breast pain in depth, helping them feel listened to and understood. Appointments can also take place from the comfort of the patient’s home which can help them feel more at ease when discussing their symptoms.

Another benefit of the new pathway is that it has helped to free up capacity at the one stop symptomatic clinic for patients with suspected breast cancer. Throughout the initiative there have been no cases of breast cancer in breast pain patients.

The service also provides an opportunity for clinicians to share education and further information on breast care to help support patients in the future as well. Following the telephone consultations, patients are invited to provide feedback via a survey. So far, patients have reported positive experiences with the service.