Wythenshawe Hospital

Nursing Trustee

Katy is a Nurse Consultant in Breast at the Nightingale Breast Unit, Manchester Foundation Trust. Katy qualified as a registered nurse in 1996 and began her professional career in theatres before becoming a Surgical Care Practitioner. In 2006 Katy undertook a masters module in advanced skills in breast care before undertaking the Advanced Clinical Practice Msc at the University of Central Lancashire. Katy was a Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist in Breast care for 10 years in Stockport, a unit which supported newly diagnosed breast cancer patients through to palliative care. Since 2019 Katy has worked at MFT, initially in the role of Advanced Nurse Practitioner and more recently as a Nurse Consultant. In 2021 Katy was awarded, along with a colleague, the National Nursing Times Award in Cancer Care for the implementation of a telephone assessment clinic for breast pain. Katy’s current role is 50% clinical and 50% research and she is currently working towards her PhD.

Katy is passionate about her role as a nurse and the value that nursing brings to a patients experience.

Academic and Research Committee Rep

Sarah qualified as a nurse in 2007, and has completed a masters in advanced nursing studies.  She has over 12 years’ experience as a senior research delivery nurse, setting up research units which resulted in winning the CLRN ‘Research Nurse of the Year’ award, with the last 8 years being in breast cancer at the Nightingale Centre in Manchester. Sarah is on the ABS Academic and Research Committee as well as the Nursing Committee, giving insight into trial delivery.

ABS President

ABS President

Miss Leena Chagla is the President of the Association of Breast Surgery and past-President of the Liverpool and Northwest Society of Surgeons. She heads the breast unit at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals which is actively involved in clinical innovation and trials. She continues to publish regularly in peer reviewed journals.

Leena qualified from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, with a gold medal in Surgery. Whilst in India, she trained at the Sir JJ Hospital and at the Tata Memorial Cancer Centre. Her passion for surgical oncology developed in those formative years.

She is a popular speaker both nationally and internationally and is involved in the development of guidelines for the management of breast cancer. She is passionate about MDT working and she launched the Anti-bullying Campaign (#CoreItOut) for ABS in alliance with RCSEd. She represented ABS on the pathology Big 18 and the organising committee of Symposia Mammographicum.

Leena was instrumental in setting up the International Forum at ABS with a view to sharing good practice globally.  She is committed to improving and standardising Breast cancer care through education and training. She is an Educational Supervisor for the National Oncoplastic Fellow and she is a Professional Clinical Advisor for screening to Public Health England.

Outside of work Leena is a keen sportswoman having played water-polo for Maharashtra, Liverpool and the Northern Counties at the highest level.

South East Central Regional Representative

I am an Advanced Nurse Practitioner at the QA Hospital, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust.

Qualified as a registered nurse in 1995 and worked in various cancer settings, initially joined the breast unit as a Clinical nurse specialist and now ANP. I completed my Msc in leadership and Cancer care at Southampton university in 2019. My role includes assessment, diagnosis, and management of benign and malignant breast conditions. Also involved in family history clinics and have a special interest in chemotherapy, working alongside consultant oncologists in a nurse led chemo prescribing clinic, reviewing neo adjuvant, adjuvant, and metastatic patients.

James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust

ABS Vice President

Ms Downey qualified from Nottingham University in the last century and she undertook SHO training in Bristol, Research in Breast Cancer Oncology in Manchester and Registrar training in Yorkshire. Her first consultant post in Bradford for 4 years and moved to East Anglia in 2005. Sarah's first involvement in RCS was examiner for MRCS at time OSCE introduced. Acted on committee and then Chair of Court of Examiners for RCS England. Part of training committee since came to East Anglia in 2005. Undertook Divisional Director role in own hospital for 5 years – opened new daycase unit. Acted as regional Breast Screening QA Surgeon for 6 years. Joined SAC in 2015 and became regional TPD in 2018. Currently Chair of General Surgery SAC.  Undergraduate PBL tutor and online tutor for oncoplastic MS. Director of Screening for own Trust and also Clinical Appraisal Lead. Former TIG Chair and faculty on Advanced Breast Cancer Course. Currently Honorary Secretary of ABS.

South East Coast Regional Representative

Suzy has worked as a Consultant Nurse in Breast Services at Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust since 2022. She is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, leading service development in relation to; nurse led breast symptom assessment, breast pain pathway provision, family history assessment, raised risk breast surveillance, and breast referral triage. 

Suzy is also Nurse Co-Lead for the ABS Aspire (Breast Pain Pathway Rapid Evaluation) Steering Group, and a NICE Fellow (2020-2022). She is an experienced Clinical Specialist Lead and historical NICE committee member (IPAC 2018-2021). 

In addition to 25 years experience as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in breast care, Suzy has also worked on secondment as a Clinical Procurement and Quality Assurance Lead for NHS Supply Chain (DHL), and a freelance Advanced Nurse Practitioner working with various NHS Trusts in Surrey and Sussex. 

Suzy has a Degree in Nursing, a Diploma in Breast Cancer Care, a Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling a Psychotherapy, and an Advanced Practice (Cancer) MSc. She has published in relation to earlier cancer diagnosis, breast screening surveillance and breast referral triage, symptomatic breast referral resource, and breast pain, and was awarded Health Service Journal Patient Safety Awards Finalist in 2021. 

Suzy has a strong interest in co-production, compassionate healthcare practice, human factors, reducing unwarranted variation, and translating policy into practice to enhance patient outcomes.

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

London Regional Representative

Dr Victoria Harmer qualified with an award for distinction in practice and is Consultant Nurse and lead nurse for the breast screening and symptomatic services at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. She acts as Key Worker to people with breast cancer, and has published widely, as well as editing the book ‘Breast Cancer Nursing Care and Management’. She has acted as medical adviser for radio, television and film and involved in many research trial e.g. OPTIMA. She has received Nursing Times Cancer Nursing award and was a finalist for the Public Health category in 2022. She has worked with Marks and Spencer designing swimwear for the post mastectomy body, is Trustee for Against Breast Cancer charity, on the Medical Advisory Board for CoppaFeel!, deputy Chair for Europa Donna UK and a member of the ABS International Forum. Dr Harmer has a degree in nursing from Kings College, an MBA from Westminster Business School, a doctorate from Kings and is an Associateship of Kings College.

A&R Committee Rep/ Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Representative

A senior research nurse in breast cancer for the last 20 years, Sue currently works as a Post-Doc Research Fellow in Leeds; having completed a PhD as an NIHR Fellow. Her research interests include post-surgical pain management, PROMS, patient self-management, web-based intervention development and all breast cancer research that is co-developed with patients based on patient identified need. She is also Deputy Chair of the NCRI breast working party on symptom management and is involved in trial development and delivery at all stages.

Merseyside Regional Representative

Nicola is a Breast Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. She qualified as a registered nurse in 2005 at Salford University and has completed a Diploma and Bsc in Nursing. She began her career as a ward nurse in Breast and Gynae surgery before becoming a Breast CNS 5 years ago. Whilst a Breast CNS at The Countess Of Chester Hospital she was joint lead in setting up the family history clinic and completed a cancer genetics course to support her in this role. Her role as a Breast CNS is meeting patients at diagnosis, offering support, co-ordinating their care at diagnosis, during treatment and surveillance.

Education and Training Committee Rep/ East Midlands Regional Representative

I am an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) in Breast Care for University of Derby & Burton NHS Foundation Trust.

I have worked in the speciality of Breast Care since 2000, first as a breast clinical nurse specialist then as an ANP.

I qualified in 1995 as a 'project 2000' nurse. I have worked elective in ward areas specialising in; orthopaedic, ophthalmology, general surgery and female breast and urology

I am passionate about advanced practice in the breast care setting and hope that we can work to streamline and standardise this with help from ABS in the future.

West Midlands Regional Representative

Caroline is a Consultant Nurse at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, and lead of the Breast Care Nursing Service.

She has been working within the NHS since 1981. She started in the Breast Care Service in 1995 as a Clinical Nurse Specialist.

In 1999 with a colleague set up the first nurse led cancer follow up clinic. In 2008 she set up the fast track under 35yrs clinic, after being successful in a management and leadership (aspiring matrons) course, where she had to initiate a project around a new way of working. This has now become an Under 40 years clinic.

2020 set up a ‘self-managed pathway’ clinic also known as Patient Initiated Follow Up.

2021 set up a ‘Breast Pain’ clinic.  “Effectiveness of a Novel Consultant Nurse Led Breast pain Clinic in Secondary Care” Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971-) (2024) 193:1715-1720

Improving patient outcomes is key to her and she enjoys looking into how this can continue by service improvement and engaging all staff.

At present she is interested in breast surgery prehabilitation work, especially as improvements can be achieved through simple lifestyle changes.

She enjoys ongoing development of evidence-based ways of working and improvement of quality, safety and health and service outcomes. Independent decision making in complex and unpredictable situations to incorporate both expertise and skills. She encourages staff in providing a clearer career pathway for Breast Care Nurses wishing to develop their professional skills to a higher level.

Wales Regional Representative

Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley

Scotland Regional Representative

Northern Ireland Regional Representative

Siobhan is a Breast Care Nurse Specialist at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.  

Siobhan took up the post of ABS regional nurse representative for Northern Ireland in April 2022. Siobhan has over twenty years experience working as a registered nurse. Before moving into the breast care speciality she worked in various units including general surgery, breast surgery, vascular, orthopaedic and day procedure unit.

Siobhan completed the breast care course in the Christie Hospital in 2008 and joined the breast team in the Belfast City Hospital in 2009. In her role as a breast care nurse Siobhan is committed to health promotion and patient empowerment. She helped set-up, co-ordinate and organise the Breast Health and Wellbeing Events for the Belfast Trust. She displayed a poster at Glasgow ABS Conference focusing on the benefits the Health and Wellbeing Events.

Siobhan has good experience of collaborative working and developing integrated approaches to delivering patient centred, high quality services.

Birmingham City Hospital

Member

International Committee Representative

Monica Reeves commenced her career within nursing in 1990, gaining valuable experience in many varied fields, including A&E & theatre.

In 1999 she was fortunate to work in Tanzania, with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), as a Clinical Instructor gaining an insight into heath care within a low-income country.

In 2016 she trained as an Enhanced Surgical First Assistant with Edge Hill University.

She successfully studied for a master’s degree at Edgehill University, Liverpool, in 2017 and Principles of Breast Cancer Care in 2021 at The Royal Marsden, Manchester. 

She is currently employed as a Surgical Care Practitioner within the breast team at Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

She works independently within triple assessment and review clinics. Her role also includes assisting in theatres as well as supporting the training and mentoring of Junior Doctors. 

North West Regional Representative

Member

Sunderland/South Tyneside Foundation Trust

Northern Regional Representative

Since 2006, Caroline has served as a Breast Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and is currently a committee member at NICE, along with being the Northern Nurse Representative for the ABS. Caroline previously worked as the Lead Lifestyle Advisor for The North of England Activity after Breast Cancer Trial, bringing her expertise to enhance post-treatment well-being. As a qualified Personal Trainer/ Exercise Referrer/ Cancer Rehabilitation Practitioner, she has a specialist interest in cancer recovery, and currently run Virtual Clinics supporting Cancer Prehab/Rehab. Caroline is currently on a two-year secondment as the Macmillan Lead Practitioner for Living with Cancer in Sunderland/South Tyneside, with the primary objective of making a positive impact on those facing the challenges of living with cancer.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

ABS Trustee

Dr Raghavan Vidya is a Senior lecturer at Birmingham University and Consultant Oncoplastic breast surgeon at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. She graduated from University of Madras, India followed by Postgraduate training in General Surgery. She completed her MD (Research) on aromatase inhibitors from University of Edinburgh. She has introduced and mentored new innovations including muscle-sparing implant-based breast reconstruction.  

She serves as a Trustee of the Association of Breast surgery and actively contributes to its working. Dedicated to teaching and training, she contributes actively as a Higher Surgical Trainer, delivers lectures, and runs workshops as invited faculty for national and international meetings. Through her role as Royal College, International Surgical Training Programme Lead for Breast Surgery, she is committed to advancing breast training. She has a strong focus towards clinical research exemplified by over 150 publications. She has published two books on breast reconstruction and an ebook on Global Breast Training in collaboration with RCS and ABS. She promotes clinical application of Genomics in NHS as Associate Director of Genomics in West Midlands.  She is actively involved in clinical trials and have a special interest in new technology and advances in breast surgery.

Eastern Regional Representative

South West Regional Representative