GIRFT announced on 18th July the appointment of surgical leads and senior advisors for 14 new work streams.
Professor Tim Briggs, Chair of GIRFT and National Director of Clinical Quality and Efficiency at NHS Improvement, said: “I am delighted that we have attracted another high calibre group of extremely experienced and enthusiastic clinical leads into the GIRFT programme.
“The fact that each work stream is led by an expert in the speciality is a vital part of the GIRFT methodology, because it means trust clinicians know they are dealing with people who really understand the challenges they face.”
Many of the clinicians joining GIRFT have been recruited by the programme in conjunction with their specialty’s Royal College or professional society, giving even more weight to the appointment.
The Clinical Lead for Breast Surgery is Miss Fiona MacNeill, Consultant Breast Surgeon, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, and Immediate Past President of the Association of Breast Surgery. Miss Tracey Irvine, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been appointed as Senior Clinical Advisor.
Miss MacNeill has been a Specialist Consultant Breast Surgeon since 1996, was President of the Association of Breast Surgery from 2015-17 and speaks worldwide on breast cancer and oncoplastic surgery. She acts in an advisory capacity to a variety of Department of Health committees to optimise breast services and plan future cancer strategy.
Miss MacNeill said: “The GIRFT initiative has been met with huge enthusiasm from the breast surgery community; GIRFT is our opportunity to minimise unwanted variations in care and raise the quality of breast surgery to the very best that can be provided.”
Miss Irvine is an Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon and was Clinical Director of the Breast, Skin and Plastics Unit in Surrey where she had experience of delivering quality breast care in a financially challenging environment.
Miss Irvine said: “I am looking forward to using my experience, and working with our Clinical Lead and with the Association of Breast Surgery to ensure that we maintain high standards of breast care.”
You can visit the GiRFT website here.