Richard Sainsbury: Consultant Breast Surgeon in London

Training and experience

Richard Sainsbury qualified in 1977 from University of Newcastle Upon Tyne Medical School. Richard was a Consultant Breast Surgeon at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust and IOW NHS Primary Care Trust having taken up the post in the summer of 2007.

He moved from Royal Free and University College Medical School London where he had been Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Surgeon and Head of Breast Services at UCH since 2000, having been previously been a Consultant Surgeon in Huddersfield for 12 years.  He has retained his ongoing research programme at UCH concerning the mechanisms of breast cancer,he is also actively involved in advising government bodies on the optimisation of breast services. He has written several books and many scientific papers on breast cancer. He joined the team in 2000.

The London Breast Clinic

The London Breast Clinic, 108 Harley Street, provides an integrated service staffed by a dedicated multi-disciplinary team specialising in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of all benign and malignant breast disease. It aims to achieve this with the highest standard of professional care, and a minimum of delay in relaxing and friendly surroundings.

This private breast clinic in London is dedicated to minimising patient anxiety. The caring, highly experienced, professional team is available every weekday, so appointments can be usually be offered within 24 hours sometimes even the same day.

This multi-disciplinary team comprising consultant surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, oncologists, nurses and other experienced health professionals, offers the best possible assessment of benign and malignant breast disease in the shortest possible time and within one site.

The expertise of their specialist breast care team enables them to provide care to breast patients at all stages - from screening through surgery, to radiotherapy and chemotherapy both at 108 Harley Street and at associated hospitals.

Treatments

One stop day surgery centre

The centre offers same day consultations and minor operations under local anaesthetic whilst avoiding the formal admission procedure required at larger private facilities. The surgery is staffed by trained theatre personnel and experienced nurses. The operating theatre and breast clinic treatment rooms have the latest state-of-the-art equipment where the following procedures can be carried out:

• Breast cyst aspiration
• Breast abscess drainage
• Fine needle aspiration cytology
• Core biopsy
• Nipple biopsy
• Nipple discharge analysis
• Cytological assessment
• Surgical excision of lesions where appropriate

Facilities and services

All practice nurses have undergone specialist breast care training. To ensure continuity of care and a full understanding of your situation, they are available for pre and post operative information, advice and support, for both out-patients and in-patients on all aspects of breast care, including: general health; self examination; breast screening; breast reconstruction; breast prosthesis information and fitting; hormone replacement therapy, with reference to the breast.

Breast screening and assessment of screening abnormalities:
Adhering to the high standards of the National Breast Screening Programme their screening is tailored to each patients specific needs. Full back-up facilities are available for assessing abnormalities with on site mammography, ultrasound stereotactic/perforated plate cytology and localisation. A complete team with the necessary radiological, surgical and pathology expertise and equipment assess all conditions.

Lump assessment:
For patients with a lump there is one-stop assessment by a breast surgeon, with appropriate imaging and cytology.

Mastalgia (breast pain):
They have consultants with a particular interest and expertise in breast pain, prevention and treatment.

Familial breast cancer:
Advice regarding genetic predisposition to breast malignancy and the appropriate investigations is available from a consultant geneticist with expertise in familial breast cancer.

Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC):
In this investigation a consultant breast surgeon a inserts a fine needle into the breast, to remove a small sample cells from the breast lump, for microscopic examination (cytology), to look for any signs of abnormality in the cells. The results are usually available with 24 hours and the consultant breast surgeon will then discuss the findings with you.

Cosmetic surgery:
A complete range of cosmetic surgery procedures including mastopexy (breast uplifting), augmentation (enlargement), reduction, nipple reconstruction and correction of congenital deformities.

Clinical interests

Mr Sainsbury has a clinical interest in the following areas: 

•  Breast surgery
• Breast reconstruction
• Sentinel node biopsy

Research interests

Mr Sainsbury has retained his ongoing research programme at UCH concerning the mechanisms of breast cancer, he is also actively involved in advising government bodies on the optimisation of breast services. He has written several books and many scientific papers on breast cancer. He joined the team in 2001.