Miss Ms Rachel Bright-Thomas

Rachel obtained a first in medical sciences at Cambridge University and was awarded 3 separate undergraduate prizes for her academic achievement. She moved on to do her undergraduate clinical training at Oxford University, where she met her husband and was inspired to do surgery. After graduation and house jobs, Rachel spent 13 years in surgical training, largely in London teaching hospitals, before moving home to the West Midlands. As part of her post-graduate training she did a masters degree at London University looking at gene therapy in the prevention and treatment of cancer. On the clinical front, Rachel spent her penultimate year in training in 1 of only 9 National Oncoplastic Breast Fellowships, working with a variety of Plastic Surgeons, learning how to use plastic surgical techniques to complement and enhance the results of her breast cancer surgery. Rachel is fully trained in breast reconstruction and offers this as part of her regular NHS and private practice. In 2006 Rachel was appointed as a Consultant Breast Surgeon at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and over the last 14 years she has been MDT, clinical and audit lead within the breast team. All of her NHS work is breast surgery as outlined below. Rachel was awarded the NHS hero award in 2013 and has been nominated for the Worcestershire Acute NHS Trust patient’s choice staff achievement award more than once. Rachel has a strong teaching and training background. She has trained many other current Oncoplastic Breast Surgeons. Regionally, she is currently the area training programme director for higher surgical trainees in Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Nationally, she is a faculty member for the University of East Anglia MS degree in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, an examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons MRCS and FRCS exams,  and sits on the Education and Training committee for the Association of Breast Surgeons and is the Breast Lead on the national Specialty Advisory Commitee For General Surgery.  Rachel is married with two teenage children. She enjoys spending her spare time with her immediate and extended family and socialising with friends. In the private hospital setting, Rachel runs an all female team of specialists looking after all breast problems. Her clinic offers patients rapid access to treatment in a purpose built facility, with appointments available within a couple of days as opposed to the typical NHS 2 week waiting time for breast symptoms. For her private practice services, BUPA patients can refer themselves via BUPA without needing to see a GP, and she is BUPA, AXA (and most other providers) fee assured, meaning there will rarely be any excess charges.

Breast Cancer Benign (non cancerous) breast disease eg breast cysts; nipple discharge Breast Pain Breast lumpectomies/ wide local excision All breast screening work Mastectomies Breast Reconstruction Fat transfer into the breast to improve cosmetic outcome after previous breast surgery Therapeutic mammoplasty ( using breast reduction techniques to remove breast cancer) Sentinel node biopsies Axillary node clearance