QVH is the major regional centre for complex, microvascular breast reconstruction following, or simultaneously with, resection for cancer.
Our integrated team of consultants and specialist breast reconstruction nurses provide a wide range of reconstructive options , and support to guide the patient through their reconstructive trajectory.
Our Macmillan Breast Reconstruction Nurse Specialists, Pam Golton and Rebecca Spencer, act as a point of contact for patients, relatives, carers and other healthcare professionals. They provide information and practical and emotional support to patients undergoing breast reconstruction and related breast care.
Your guide to breast reconstruction – video playlist:
If you’re thinking about having breast reconstruction surgery, this playlist is for you. Split into a series of short clips, four of our plastic surgeons describe the range of options available to you, the risks and what to expect during recovery. In addition four women explain which procedure they chose and show how it worked for them.
The gold standard for breast reconstruction after a mastectomy is a ‘free flap’ reconstruction using microvascular techniques to take tissue, usually from the abdomen, and use it to form a new breast.
This technique has greater patient satisfaction and longevity but carries greater risks of failure than an implant or pedicled flap reconstruction, so it is important we monitor our success.
Full details of our patient safety, patient experience and clinical effectiveness measures are published in our annual Quality Report. Find the latest version here.
Mr Adam Blackburn
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Specialist Interests: Breast reconstruction, microsurgery, acute burns surgery, skin cancer, trauma and general plastic surgery
Mr Adam Blackburn joined Queen Victoria Hospital in 2012. He graduated from Imperial College School of Medicine, London and underwent basic surgical training at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford. He completed his higher surgical training in plastic surgery in Newcastle-upon-Tyne where he developed his interest in microsurgical reconstruction. In 2010 he was awarded the Bruce Bailey microsurgical trauma fellowship and spent 2 months at one of the busiest and largest trauma hospitals in Asia (The Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore, India). He has completed his training with a further 2 years worth of specialist microsurgical fellowships in breast cancer reconstruction at St Thomas’ Hospital, London and Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead.
Mr Blackburn is a fully qualified, UK trained, plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon. He has been awarded the intercollegiate fellowship in plastic surgery, FRCS(Plast), and is on the GMC’s specialist register for plastic surgery.
Miss Alexandra Molina
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Specialist interests: Microsurgery, breast reconstruction, perineal reconstruction, general plastic surgery.
Miss Alexandra Molina is a UK trained Consultant Plastic Surgeon and is on the GMC Specialist Register for Plastic Surgery.
She graduated from Cambridge University with Distinction and started her Plastic Surgery training in 2008. During her registrar post in London she completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Biomedical Education at St George’s, University of London. In 2015 she was awarded the Intercollegiate Fellowship in Plastic Surgery or FRCS(Plast). For her outstanding performance in these final examinations she was awarded the McGregor ‘Gold’ Medal.
Alex has completed two prestigious microsurgery fellowships at St Thomas’ Hospital, London and QVH. She then worked as a locum consultant, performing principally DIEP breast reconstruction, at the Royal Marsden Hospital, before taking up her permanent post at QVH. Her main interest is in microsurgical breast reconstruction, but she also holds honorary contracts at Darent Valley and Maidstone Hospitals, where she is involved in perineal reconstruction after rectal cancer. She runs a peripheral clinic at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, where she covers general plastic surgery, including skin cancer.
In 2017-18 Alex was awarded the Lady Estelle Wolfson Emerging Leaders Fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. She maintains her interest in teaching and leadership alongside her clinical commitments. She also has a young son who keeps her busy in her spare time!
Miss Anita Hazari
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Specialist interests: plastic surgery; breast surgery.
Anita has been a Consultant Plastic Surgeon at QVH since 2006. She is on the specialist Plastic Surgery GMC register. She is a member of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) and British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and Association of Breast Surgery (ABS)
After being the Breast Oncoplastics Lead for QVH (2008-2012), bringing about policy changes such as need for a screening mammogram in breast reduction patients pre-operatively, Anita represented the South East as a BAPRAS Council member 2013-15. Anita was on the PRASIS Board for 3 years (2014-16) and served as its Executive Chair 2017-18. She was the National Lead (2015-20) for the cross-speciality UK National Flap Registry (UKNFR) a collaboration between 5 surgical speciality associations and produced its first report with over 5,000 cases in December 2019. Anita loves to teach and is currently the Chair of Plastic Surgery at JCIE (Joint Committee on InterCollegiate Examinations) for FRCS(Plast) examinations.
In her early years, Anita undertook research in nerve regeneration at the Blond McIndoe Centre, East Grinstead for two years which culminated in a higher degree (MD) from the University of London. The Royal College of Surgeons of England recognised her original work in nerve grafting and awarded a Hunterian Professorship in May 1999. As a specialist registrar in plastic surgery on the pan-Thames /London rotation, she worked in plastic surgery centres in Chelmsford, Royal Free Hospital, Wexham Park Hospital, East Grinstead and Mount Vernon Hospital. Additional training in microsurgery allowed her to develop specialist skills in breast reconstruction. She also spent time at the Christine Kleinert Institute of Hand and Microsurgery, Louisville, USA in 2004 followed by an Upper Limb Fellowship at the Wrightington Hospital, 2005.
She provides a plastic surgery service to East Kent and holds additional clinics in Canterbury. She has a sub-speciality interest in breast reconstructive surgery and provides the whole repertoire of reconstruction including DIEP (abdomen), TUG (inner thigh), Buttock (SGAP), LD (back) flaps in addition to the use of implants.
Anita is keen on all sports in particular running and tennis and has an active family life with her husband and young son.
Qualifications -MBBS,MD, FRCS, FRCS(Plast)
Mr Andy Mellington
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Specialist Interests: microsurgery; breast reconstruction; lower limb reconstruction; skin cancer; perineal and abdominal wall reconstruction.
Mr Andy Mellington is a UK trained Consultant Plastic Surgeon and is on the GMC’s specialist register for plastic surgery.
He qualified in medicine from Oxford University and, after a period working in New Zealand, returned to the UK to train in surgery. His career in plastic surgery started as a junior doctor at QVH. Following early surgical training, Andy undertook a Master’s degree in surgical science at Imperial College London for which he was awarded the highest distinction in his year for his thesis on thermal manipulation of ear cartilage.
Andy’s higher plastic surgery training was based in London and the South East. In 2012, Andy was awarded the Intercollegiate Fellowship in Plastic Surgery, the FRCS(Plast). He then undertook specialist fellowships in cosmetic surgery at The London Clinic, in cancer reconstruction at The Royal Marsden Hospital, in cancer reconstruction and trauma at Guys and St Thomas’ Hospitals and QVH and in trauma at the Major Trauma Centre in Brighton. These fellowships have enabled Andy to develop a broad practice, with skills in a wide range of reconstructive procedures.
Andy’s main practice at QVH is breast reconstruction. He also holds an Honorary Consultant appointment with Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals where, along with a team of consultant colleagues, he provides specialised reconstructive services focusing on lower limb trauma and reconstruction of complex wounds. Andy also has a specialist interest in perineal and abdominal wall reconstruction.
Specialist interests: breast reconstruction, perineal reconstruction, microsurgery, general plastic surgery.
Miss Katia Sindali is a fully qualified, UK-trained consultant plastic surgeon and is on the GMC specialist register for plastic surgery.
Miss Sindali graduated from King’s College London in 2006 and completed her basic surgical training in London and the South East. She was appointed as a specialty registrar in the Pan Thames deanery where she undertook her higher surgical training in plastic surgery. As a registrar, she completed an International Master’s degree in Reconstructive Microsurgery (MSc).
At the end of her training, Miss Sindali completed two prestigious microsurgery fellowship at Guy’s King’s and St Thomas’ hospitals in London, and Queen Victoria Hospital. During this time, she gained a lot of experience in various reconstructive procedures, especially in breast microsurgical reconstruction which is her main interest. She was awarded the Intercollegiate Fellowship in Plastic Surgery or FRCS(Plast) as well as the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic surgery fellowship.
Miss Sindali also has an interest in education and training and holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education for surgeons.
During her spare time, she enjoys cooking, travelling and looking after her 2 young children.
Mr Martin Jones
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Specialist Interests: plastic and reconstructive surgery, skin cancer.
Mr Martin Jones graduated from the University College and Middlesex School of Medicine in 1990 with a 1st Class Honours in Anatomy and Neuroscience. After his general surgical training at St. Georges, London, he qualified as a doctor in 1993.
He then undertook research for his doctoral thesis at the RAFT Institute for Plastic Surgical Research, which took him to Mount Vernon Hospital.
Mr Jones was selected to complete three fellowships in clinical areas that he is now a specialist for. These include a Fellowship in Hand Surgery in Sydney Australia, an Aesthetic Fellowship at The McIndoe Centre and lastly a Microsurgical Fellowship at the Queen Victoria Hospital.
He is on the specialist GMC register as an accredited Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon.
Martin places extreme importance on putting his clients at ease from their very first consultation. He grew up as a child less than four miles away from the Queen Victoria Hospital and went to school in East Grinstead. He is married with two children and still lives locally- he prides himself on being a local man.
Mr Simon Mackey
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Specialist interests: Breast reconstruction; cancer reconstruction; microsurgery; skin cancer; general plastic surgery.
Mr Simon Mackey is a UK-trained consultant plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon. He has been awarded the intercollegiate fellowship in plastic surgery, FRCS(Plast), and is on the GMC’s specialist register for plastic surgery. He is a member of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) and the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).
He graduated from Imperial College School of Medicine at St. Mary’s Hospital,London. After basic-surgical training in the Oxford Deanery, he was appointed to the pan-Thames higher surgical training scheme in plastic surgery. He completed his training with a specialist fellowship in cancer reconstruction and microsurgery at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London.
Prior to his appointment at QVH, he had the opportunity to work as a locum consultant at the Royal Marsden and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. These posts offered Mr Mackey additional experience in cancer reconstruction, particularly microsurgical reconstruction of the breast, and reconstruction of the perineum.
Mr Mackey also holds clinics Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, and Sevenoaks Hospital.
Mr Sam Orkar
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Specialist interests: Breast surgery including breast reconstruction and breast asymmetry, skin cancers and problem scars.
Kusu Samuel Orkar was appointed Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at Queen Victoria Hospital on 1 July 2009.
Sam qualified at the University of Jos in Nigeria and was the best graduating student in his year. He completed the Nigerian and West African training in General Surgery and Plastic Surgery and worked as a Consultant General and Plastic surgeon in Nigeria. He undertook further training in Plastic Surgery in the UK at the Canniesburn Unit, Glasgow, St Andrews Centre for Plastic Surgery and Burns, Chelmsford, Queen Victoria Hospital and the McIndoe Surgical Centre both in East Grinstead.
Sam has done fellowships in breast/microsurgery, hand surgery and cosmetic surgery to further hone his skills.
Sam’s subspecialty interests are breast surgery including reconstruction, skin cancer, and problem scars. Sam runs clinics at QVH and the Medway Maritime Hospital.
Sam is on the GMC specialist register for plastic surgery and is a member of BAPRAS and BAAPS
Qualifications:
BM BCh University of Jos, Nigeria
FMCS(Nig) Fellow Medical College of Surgery, Nigeria
FWACS (plast) Fellow West African College of Surgeons (plastic surgery)
FRCS Ed Fellow Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh
FRCSEd(Plast) Royal College of Surgeons Intercollegiate Fellow(plastic surgery)
Pam Golton
Macmillan Breast Reconstruction Nurse Specialist
Pam Golton started training in 2005 as a registered adult nurse with the University of Surrey and qualified DipHE in 2008.
Having a special interest in surgical nursing she has been at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead since qualification and worked first on Canadian Wing and then the Step Down Unit (now called Enhanced Recovery Area). She gained her Macmillan Breast Reconstruction Clinical Nurse Specialist post in 2011 and completed her specialist degree (BSc) in Acute Clinical Practice (Cancer Pathway) in 2015 at the University of Brighton. She has also completed the Principles of Breast Cancer Care Module (at Masters level 7) at the Royal Marsden School and regularly attends the London & Brighton Breast Meetings.
Pam has previously taught on the post graduate degree module on the burns and plastics course on breast reconstruction.
Rebecca undertook her adult nurse training DipHE at St Richards Hospital, Chichester with The University of Surrey in 2005. She qualified in 2008 and began working at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead.
She initially worked on the specialist plastic reconstructive & maxillofacial wards, before moving onto the high-dependency ‘step-down unit’ (now known as Enhanced Recovery Area). In this unit she cared for patients undergoing major reconstructive surgery, such as breast reconstruction. During this time she undertook a part-time BSc(Hons) degree in Acute Clinical Practice specialising in plastic surgery and breast cancer.
Rebecca got her current job as Breast Reconstruction Clinical Nurse Specialist in 2012. She regularly attends the Brighton and London breast meetings and has recently participated in updating the Macmillan and breast cancer care breast reconstruction leaflets.
Our specialists have created a YouTube playlist of short films designed for women considering breast reconstruction surgery to help their decision making. It also includes personal stories from some of our patients, sharing their own experiences.
Breast Reconstruction Show & Tell information events
Our team provide information and support to ladies considering or going through breast reconstruction due to breast cancer or with a genetic mutation diagnosis. We run regular ‘Show & Tell’ events where you can meet women who have already had reconstructive surgery, see their results and ask questions about their operations. These are very informal events, providing an opportunity, in a relaxed environment, to discuss any aspect of breast reconstruction.
Read more about our minor injuries unit, open 8am - 8pm every day.
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