QVH
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust
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.
Breast reconstruction surgery was cancelled throughout the NHS from early April in order to respond to the Coronavirus pandemic and, in line with national guidance, is likely to be one of the later areas for operations to begin again. We will be in touch as soon as we have more information. We are making all possible efforts to safely restore our normal services as early as possible and very much appreciate your understanding and patience.
Information on breast reconstruction
Leaflet from Breast Cancer 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.
If the video is not displaying above you can watch it on YouTube. To obtain a copy of this playlist as a DVD, please contact Pamela.Golton@nhs.net or Rebecca.Spencer6@nhs.net
Additional videos are accessible on our YouTube channel including:
Nipple reconstruction video (WARNING: this video contains graphic surgery scenes)
Quilting of the abdominal flap following a DIEP reconstruction (WARNING: this video contains graphic surgery scenes so viewer discretion is advised).
Breast reconstruction photographs
Recent survey results
Latest National Cancer Patient Experience Survey results
Clinical effectiveness
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
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
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
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 is currently the National Lead for the cross-speciality UK National Flap Registry (UKNFR), a collaboration between 5 surgical speciality associations. Anita loves to teach and is a member of to JCIE Court of Examiners for the 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
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.
Registration: GMC 4548287
Qualifications: BMBCh MSc MA(Oxon) FRCS(Plast)
Mr Charles Nduka
Specialist interests: Facial and breast surgery
Mr Charles Nduka joined Queen Victoria Hospital in 2000 as a Senior House Officer and returned in 2004 as part of his Specialist Registrar programme.
He undertook his surgical training in London teaching Hospitals including the Royal London & St Bartholomew's Hospital, Charing Cross and Hammersmith Hospitals. He completed his specialist training at the Royal Marsden Hospital. He won the McGregor Gold medal for the Royal College of Surgeons Final Fellowship prize, and one of his research projects won the Hackett prize from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
He undertook further specialist training in France, Brazil and London where he learned modern aesthetic surgery and advanced techniques for facial reanimation following facial paralysis.
Mr Nduka became a Consultant Plastic Surgeon in October 2005 and in April 2006 was appointed as Consultant at QVH. Mr Nduka is a fully accredited specialist in plastic surgery and he is full member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). Mr Nduka is also Honorary Senior Lecturer at Imperial College, London where he researches techniques to improve outcomes in plastic surgery of the face and breasts.
Mr Nduka established the facial palsy service at QVH in 2007 which is a multidisciplinary team comprising specialist facial therapy, psychology and surgery. He maintains an active research interest, particularly in scars, and facial shape analysis, with many papers published over the last few years. He is particularly interested in the psychological impact of surgery and supervises a full time post-doctoral researcher.
Mr Nduka helped establish Facial Palsy UK, an organisation which supports people with facial palsy.
Mr Giovanni Zoccali
Consultant Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon
Specialist Interests: Microsurgery, breast reconstruction, breast cosmetic surgery, perineal and abdominal wall reconstruction, general plastic surgery.
Mr Giovanni Zoccali is a fully trained plastic surgeon and is on the GMC Specialist Register for Plastic Surgery.
He graduated in L'Aquila (Italy) and during his speciality training worked in several major hospitals of his country. After he completed his training (2012) He has gained the PhD title performing a research on adipose tissue stem cells and their application in breast reconstruction. He moved to UK in 2015 in order to improve his skills in microsurgery and breast reconstruction.
Mr Zoccali has completed three microsurgical fellowships at Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital, at Charing Cross Hospital and at the Royal Marsden Hospital where he was promoted to the role of locum consultant for breast, chest and perineal reconstruction.
At the same time, he completed the European Master degree in Surgical Oncology, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Breast Surgery, travelling around Europe catching the secret of the Masters in all the aspects of breast surgery.
He is an active researcher with more than 50 articles published on peer reviewed international journal, is author of 5 book chapters and he is referee for several international journals including PRS (The journal of the American society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery).
At QVH he works as a locum consultant, performing principally autologous breast reconstruction (DIEP, TUG, PAP and SGAP Flaps) and breast secondary surgery (Implant revision, fat transfer, breast reduction and mastopexy).
He has a wide experience in breast implant either for reconstructive and cosmetic purposes and congenital breast deformities. He is also involved in perineal reconstruction after rectal cancer or gynaecologic cancer at Darent Valley and Maidstone Hospitals. Mr Zoccali runs a peripheral clinic at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, where he covers general plastic surgery, including skin cancer.
Mr Guirgis Awad
Specialist interests: Microsurgery, breast reconstruction and breast symmetrising procedures, lower limb reconstruction, hand trauma and reconstruction, skin cancer and general plastic surgery.
Mr Guirgis Awad graduated from Cairo University Medical School in Egypt with honours before starting plastic surgery training (residency) in Cairo-Egypt in 2005. He completed his training and became a specialist in plastic surgery in Egypt in 2010, during which time he gained a Masters Degree in surgery from Cairo University, with thesis research on tendon transfers for peripheral nerve injuries in the upper limb.
Mr Awad moved to the UK in 2010 to further his training in plastic surgery and microsurgery. He trained in Bristol as a plastic surgery clinical fellow, where also did an aesthetic fellowship, before moving to QVH as a senior registrar in 2014. Here he had extensive training in breast reconstruction, hand surgery and skin cancer.
Mr Awad completed his trauma and reconstructive senior fellowship at Brighton and QVH, and has also completed a microsurgery and breast reconstruction senior fellowship at QVH.
After working as a consultant plastic surgeon in Bristol from April 2018 until April 2020, with specialist interest in breast reconstruction and breast symmetrising procedures, Mr Awad returned to QVH in April 2020. As a consultant plastic surgeon he works with the breast reconstruction team as well as helping with the skin cancer, lower limb reconstruction and hand trauma services.
Accomplished the EBOPRAS exams and became a fellow of the European Board of Plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeons in 2015
Accomplished the UK intercollegiate exit exam in plastic surgery; FRCS(Plast) in 2017
MBBCh, MRCS, MSc- surg, FEBOPRAS, FRCS (Plast)
Mr Awad describes himself as a genuine and caring human being who specialises in plastic surgery. He is also an active member of EURAPS (European association of Plastic surgeons) and the ESPRS (Egyptian society of plastic and reconstructive surgeons).
Mr Mark Pickford
Specialist interest: Hand surgery
Mr Mark Pickford is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon, sub-specialising in hand surgery. Within the arena of hand surgery he has particular interest in treating children's hands, including those with congenital differences. Mark was trained in plastic surgery in the UK, and also during a one year hand surgery fellowship with Harold Kleinert's group in Louisville, Kentucky.
Mr Pickford holds two hand surgery clinics a week at QVH, one on a Monday for children, and one on a Friday for adults. The general plastics part of his practice covers the Hastings geographical area. He spends all day Tuesday each week at the Conquest Hospital providing outpatient clinic services, and also outpatient surgery for patients with skin malignancies.
Mr Pickford's interests include hand trauma, surgery for congenital hand differences, management of Dupuytren's disease including all surgical options and Xiapex/collagenase injection treatment. His work routinely encompasses management of inflammatory arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and also degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) which manifest themselves in the hand. He has an interest in wrist pathology including degenerative conditions and instabilities resulting from injury, and routinely performs arthroscopy examinations and treatments. His work routinely involves the management of nerve compression syndromes in the upper limb.
Mr Pickford's work for general plastic surgery covers a broad scope ranging from skin cancer management to breast reconstruction using all available techniques (tissue expansion, Latissimus flaps and DIEP flaps).
Mr Martin Jones
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 and he is the Queen Victoria Hospital's Clinical Director for Plastic Surgery.
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.
Ms Nora Nugent
Specialist interests: Burns, microsurgical reconstruction including limb trauma and breast reconstruction.
Ms Nora Nugent joined Queen Victoria Hospital in 2012. She is the Lead Clinician for Burns and is responsible for co-ordinating the multi-disciplinary team that looks after all burns patients at QVH. Along with her colleagues, Tania Cubison, Paul Drake and Baljit Dheansa, she manages all acute burn injuries as well as the reconstruction of burns patients after they have healed.
Nora graduated from University College Dublin and completed specialist plastic surgery training under the auspices of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She has gained further plastic surgical experience in the USA and Australia. Training in burn care and surgery was undertaken in Shriners Hospitals for Children in Galveston, Texas. Nora has also completed a plastic surgery fellowship at St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney incorporating reconstructive (including microsurgery) and aesthetic surgery and a hand surgery fellowship with Victorian Hand Surgery Associates, Melbourne.
Ms Nugent is a fully qualified plastic surgeon holding the FRCS (Plast) qualification and specialist registration with the General Medical Council. She holds an Honorary Consultant appointment with Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. She is a Board Member of the London and South East Burn Network and also sits on the councils of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, the European Association of Societies of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the Plastic Surgery Section of the Royal Society of Medicine (Past President of the Plastic Surgery Section 2016-2017).
Mr Simon Mackey
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
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
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.
Find out more about the QVH breast surgery and reconstruction services here.
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.
Plastic surgery and burns
Lower limb and general plastics
Our breast reconstruction nurse specialists
Please select...A guide to sending photograpghs to QVH for your breast reconBIA ALCL Breast leafletBilateral breast reduction surgeryBreast asymmetryBreast implantsBreast implant illnessBreast reconstruction post-op handbookBreast Reconstruction Surgery AutologusBreast reconstruction surgeryERAS patient informationGoing home with a redivac drainNipple and areola micro-pigmentation (tattooing)Nipple reconstructionPost-op exercises – LD Flap 0-4 weeksPost-op exercises – Tram Diep 0-4 weeksPost-op exercises – Tram Diep 4-6 weeksSymmetrising and revision surgery
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.
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