The GHA has announced the appointment of an additional Breast Care Nurse Specialist to further facilitate a high standard of treatment and care.

The GHA Breast Care Service, in collaboration with the Breast Cancer Support Group, has recently undergone some fundamental and significant changes to develop and implement a revised and enhanced model of care. This is aimed at ensuring that patients are best supported from initial diagnosis to completion of treatment and follow up care.

The improved, Multi-Disciplinary Breast Care Service team at the GHA will support a patient’s transition through various specialities such as diagnostic interventions, surgery, medical and radiation oncology.

It is widely recognised that Breast Care Nurses enhance the early recognition of support needs, decrease psychological distress, and deliver improvements in the care and understanding of breast disease, related conditions, and treatment. The Breast Care Nurse Specialist is a recognised integral part of the team encompassing a major clinical focus which comprises of assessment, planning, developing, and evaluation of all care given to patients and their families in hospital, the community and outpatient settings.

One of the many improvements in this service has seen the recruitment and appointment of an additional Breast Care Nurse Specialist, Ms Pamela Estella. Ms Estella’s extensive nursing background consists of acute adult care as a front line practitioner, ensuring continual optimal care delivery for patients and their families in all aspects of the Breast Care Service.

In addition to Ms Estella’s existing diverse skills and knowledge, she has been sponsored by the GHA to undergo a Master of Science in Oncology at the University of Newcastle. Ms Estella said: “I am delighted and extremely excited in having been appointed into this specialist nursing role. The Breast Care Nurse Specialist is fundamental in providing continuity and support to all breast patients throughout their care journey”.

Minister for Health, Care and Justice, the Honourable Neil F. Costa MP, welcomed Ms Estella’s appointment: “I would like to congratulate Ms Estella on her appointment. I am sure she will prove a valuable addition to the Breast Cancer Services team. I am pleased that we have provided Ms Estella with the opportunity to further her studies in this specialised field whilst continuing to work for the GHA. We continue to work diligently to provide our staff members who wish to further develop in their careers with exciting and important career opportunities which will serve to help them benefit our patients.”