Leadership in the practice of breast surgery

Breast Surgeons of Australia and New Zealand (BreastSurgANZ) is the peak professional body representing breast surgeons treating patients with early and locally advanced breast cancer.

Breast Cancer is the most common cancer for women. One in eight Australian women will develop the disease – and almost 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

For most, breast cancer will be survivable. Since 1982, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer has increased from 74 percent to almost 92 percent.

BreastSurgANZ is a non-profit organisation comprised of over 400 members across Australia and New Zealand. The Society is committed to reducing the impact of breast disease by setting and advancing standards in breast surgery through training and education, research, advocacy, audit, and the development of evidence-based practice.

Since our inception in 2010, the Society has remained steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the ongoing development of breast surgery as a sub-speciality by:

• Improving patient outcomes through monitoring the quality of care by all our members;
• Improving the knowledge base of new and established breast surgeons through the provision of high quality, relevant training, and educational events;
• Reviewing and providing input on contemporary breast cancer surgery guidelines in Australia and New Zealand;
• Producing a range of position statements that provide guidance to the profession and clarifies BreastSurgANZ expectations and views on a wide range of issues;
• Fostering and managing relationships and strategic partnerships with a broad range of breast cancer organisations and other industry partners, to further influence the national agenda
  relating to the treatment of breast cancer in Australia and New Zealand;
• Provision of peer review advice; and
• Facilitating research into new treatments that improve cure rates and quality of life for breast cancer sufferers.

Advocacy

Advocacy is a key function of BreastSurgANZ. We advocate for, and on behalf of, our members and our patients across Australia and New Zealand:

• for equity of patient access to quality breast care;
• to inform and influence public policy, health service reforms and best-practice guidelines around breast cancer management and treatment;
• to positively impact the implementation of proper and effective breast surgical management and multidisciplinary models of care;
• by developing positive and productive relationships with the relevant government and professional bodies, consumer groups and research organisations relevant to the practice of breast surgery;
• for changes and improvements to the Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule item numbers relating to breast cancer treatment and inclusion of breast cancer drugs on the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme; and
• as a tool to advance our vision and values