Measurement

A key focus of the Symptomatic Breast Group is to ensure a whole system based approach for delivery of symptomatic breast services ensuring safe, effective and person-centred care.

In order to achieve this work is underway to scope the feasibility of Breast Services as a speciality in its own right.

Currently national data collected for breast services is included in the overall figures published for General Surgery.

Work is currently underway within the SDG to explore opportunities to capture all patient referrals for symptomatic breast services regardless of source i.e. routine, urgent, urgent suspicion of cancer and referral from screening services etc.

The SDG also collects data for improvement in relation to the recently implemented breast pain pathway with colleagues in NHS Boards who received funding to support implementation of the pathway.

Similar measurement plans will be developed for further pathways as well as process measurement for Active Clinical Referral Triage and Discharge Patient Initiated Review.