Once the referral from your GP is received, we will see you as quickly as possible for assessment (usually within two weeks for urgent referrals). The breast clinic is held in the breast imaging unit (BIU) or in the main outpatients on E level of Princess Anne Hospital.

Please leave enough time for parking, as the car parks can be very busy.
Please also leave enough time for your appointment, which may take a few hours.
Although we try our best to keep to time, busy clinics can sometimes lead to delays.
There are café and toilet facilities available next to the waiting room.

We will often arrange for a mammogram or an ultrasound scan either on the same day as the breast clinic visit or at an earlier date before clinic. These are performed in the breast imaging unit. Some people may require a needle biopsy test which is performed at the same time to get more information.

A member of our breast surgery team will see you at the clinic. This may include a consultant, senior surgeon, or a training grade surgeon or doctor, or advanced nurse practitioner. They will talk to you about your symptoms and perform a breast and an underarm examination. A chaperone will be available.

You may receive a diagnosis and management plan then. However, sometimes further information is required and a second appointment may be arranged for you to come back for additional test results (for example, a needle biopsy result).

We understand that a visit to the breast clinic can be a very worrying time for you, but it’s important to remember that the majority (more than 90%) of patients we see are given a benign (non-cancerous) diagnosis. However, if you are diagnosed with a breast cancer, or a suspicious finding, there is a team of specialists there to support you (see what happens if a breast cancer is diagnosed?).

What to expect at your breast clinic visit