A WOMAN who has won her battle with breast cancer has been told she faces a 12-month wait to see an NHS breast reconstruction specialist.

Colette Mills, 51, from Hutton Rudby, near Yarm, said it was ironic that she received the letter from South Tees Hospital NHS Trust in the middle of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

"I am so appalled. It never occurred to me that this would happen," she said.

Mrs Mills requested reconstructive breast surgery 20 years after undergoing a mastectomy which left her lacking in confidence.

She said she was "absolutely appalled" at the letter from the South Tees trust telling her "the current waiting time for this kind of appointment is in excess of 50 weeks".

While breast cancer charities support the Government's drive to improve early detection and diagnosis, they say the same quality of care should be offered throughout a patient's life.

Katherine Murphy, spokeswoman for the Patients' Association, said a wait of more than 50 weeks just to see a specialist was "unacceptable".

Mrs Mills said the news was particularly hard to bear when shop windows are currently filled with posters about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting a disease which claims the lives of 13,000 British women every year.

After surviving three bouts of breast cancer - which resulted in her having a mastectomy - the mother-of-two decided she was finally ready to try to rebuild her life by having breast reconstruction.

But when her family doctor referred her case to South Tees the reply was a shattering blow.

"My doctor did tell me there could be a long wait, maybe six months, but when the letter came it was like a smack in the mouth," said Mrs Mills.

"It is the non-urgent bit that really gets me. Breast reconstruction surgery may be non-urgent to them, but not to me.

"I just can't believe it. I could probably wait a year to see the surgeon and then another year on the waiting list," said Mrs Mills.

The Government has set a target that no one should wait longer than 26 weeks for a first appointment with a specialist. It is due to come into force in March.

Before approaching her GP, Mrs Mills researched the subject of breast reconstruction in great depth and talked to women who have had surgery.

Going private could cost up to £12,000.

Elizabeth Davies, chief executive of the UK Breast Cancer Coalition, said: "The key issue is that women have access to the best care throughout their cancer experience - and that isn't just about a timely diagnosis and access to chemotherapy, it is about access to the ongoing care and support that women need."

And Jane Walker, Breast Cancer Care's Northern and Yorkshire care co-ordinator, urged Mrs Mills to go back to her GP and seek a referral to an alternative NHS hospital.

A spokeswoman for South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust said: "Although we are sympathetic to any patient waiting, we do ensure that patients who have active cancer are treated within a month of referral.

"At the moment, the trust is not in a position to provide immediate breast reconstruction surgery - however, the medical and nursing staff are working hard to meet and reduce national waiting time targets.

"While it is recognised that there is a national shortage of skilled plastic surgeons and recruitment is difficult in the present climate, the trust does have plans and funds to recruit more staff."

One woman's story. See the Monday Page