THE Department of Health has appointed a new highly experienced female breast surgeon who will provide a "first class service" for the Isle of Man.
The successful candidate, who has not yet been named, will take up the post of consultant surgeon with a primary interest in breast care in the New Year following the completion of pre-employment checks.
Health Minister David Anderson said: "I really am delighted that we've been able to offer the job to such a proficient and highly skilled surgeon. The new consultant's CV and past experience is highly impressive and I believe they will bring a great deal to the post, to the team at Noble's Hospital and to the people of the Isle of Man."
The new surgeon is an oncoplastic breast and general surgeon and has worked as a consultant surgeon for the last 11 years in all aspects of breast surgery including oncoplastic and reconstructive breast surgery.
Mr Anderson continued: "First and foremost this move has always been about developing and enhancing our on-Island breast care service which I'm glad to say we will now be able to proceed with. We'll have a first class service and a team of skilled professionals of which the Island can rightly be proud.
"Through working in partnership with the Isle of Man Council of Cancer Charities, Isle of Man Breast Care and Breakthrough Breast Cancer Isle of Man we've ensured that service users and key stakeholders have been fully involved in this key development in breast care services for the Isle of Man. I'd like to extend my sincere thanks to Isle of Man Breast Care and Breakthrough Breast Cancer Isle of Man for their full support.
"We've not crossed the finish line just yet with pre-employment checks and paperwork to complete but we're on the homestretch."
Andrea Chambers, the chief executive of Manx Cancer Help, sat on the interview panel. She said: "I was delighted to be asked to join the interview panel and believe that having a representative from the third sector was the correct approach.
"The public can rest assured that we have appointed a first class breast surgeon for the Island through a process which has been shaped and scrutinised by third sector organisations to ensure the best outcome possible for patients.
"The assessor from the Royal College of Surgeons who also sat on the interview panel was very impressed with the calibre of candidates who had applied for the post to the extent that he would have been happy to interview and appoint the candidates for posts in any UK Trust."
According to the Department of Health the new surgeon will allow the department’s three phase plan for the development of breast care services in the Island to be taken forward. Phase one, the appointment of a permanent dedicated consultant surgeon to lead breast care services, has now been completed. Phase two is to introduce on-Island sentinel node biopsies and phase three to introduce on-Island breast reconstruction.
Jan Brooks, president of Breakthrough Breast Cancer Isle of Man, trustee of Breakthrough Breast Cancer in the UK and a director of the Isle of Man Council of Cancer Charities, added: "I'm sure that breast cancer patients will feel reassured that the department has been successful in securing such an experienced surgeon who has specialised in all the newest techniques in breast cancer surgery and worked in one of the foremost breast cancer centres in the Britain.
"I feel sure that the whole breast team, including the new consultant radiologist, will be able to take the service forward and develop the new techniques that are necessary for a first class breast unit. We look forward to supporting the work of this very special surgeon and her team."
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