Nine out of ten women with breast cancer who undergo mastectomy or breast reconstruction surgery say that their care was of a high quality, according to the National Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Audit.
A survey of nearly 7,000 women in England, conducted as part of the audit, found that 88% of women felt that they had always been treated with respect and dignity while in hospital, and 90% of women rated the care they received as excellent or very good. Overall, nine out of ten women also felt that they had received the right amount of information about the surgical procedure they underwent. However, only two thirds of patients who had a mastectomy without reconstruction felt that they had received the right amount of information about breast reconstruction surgery. Some women said that this lack of information contributed to them choosing not to have an immediate reconstruction. The audit makes a number of key recommendations aimed at improving breast cancer services in England. One recommendation is that the option of breast reconstruction is discussed with all patients undergoing mastectomy, as recommended by NICE. The audit also found that women undergoing different types of procedure seemed equally satisfied that the staff treating them had done everything they could to control their pain. Six per cent of women who had mastectomy reported severe pain in the first 24 hours following surgery, which compares well to 11% for other types of major surgery. However, the proportion was higher among women who had immediate and delayed reconstruction, with around 18% reporting severe pain in the first 24 hours following surgery. The audit recommends that hospitals investigate ways in which this proportion could be reduced. The audit was published by the NHS Information Centre and the Royal College of Surgeons of England, in collaboration with the Association of Breast Surgery, the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons and the Royal College of Nursing.
