Choosing a breast surgeon is about more than the procedure itself. You need to understand who will be treating you, their experience and qualifications, and whether you feel comfortable trusting them with your care.
Mr Rob Thomas is a Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon in Newcastle, an MBBS-qualified doctor and Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS). Alongside his private work at North East Breast Surgery, Rob works full-time as a Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle.
His approach is straightforward: patient safety comes first, advice should be honest, and surgery should only be recommended when it is genuinely in the patient’s best interests.
Specialty: Breast Surgery
Rob trained at Newcastle University before completing his surgical training across the North East.
He went on to undertake sub-specialist oncoplastic and reconstructive training at the Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit in Glasgow, developing further experience in surgery that combines breast cancer treatment, reconstruction and careful consideration of breast shape.
For Rob, breast surgery offered an opportunity to combine precise surgical technique with something equally important: making a meaningful difference to a patient’s everyday life.
As he explains:
Rob works full-time as a Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
His NHS work plays an important role in how he approaches private breast surgery. It keeps patient safety, careful surgical planning and clinical standards at the centre of every decision.
It also provides extensive experience of breast anatomy and complex breast surgery, which informs his approach when assessing and treating private patients.
For patients considering surgery at North East Breast Surgery, this means their care is led by a surgeon whose day-to-day clinical work is focused on specialist breast surgery.
Patients should be able to understand the credentials of the surgeon they are considering.
Rob’s professional background includes:
These qualifications and ongoing professional activities provide reassurance that patients are being assessed and treated by a specialist surgeon working within established clinical standards.
Rob does not believe surgery should be treated as a product to sell.
His consultations are based on honesty and shared decision-making. This means discussing what concerns you, assessing what surgery could realistically achieve and being equally clear about its limitations and risks.
If surgery is appropriate, Rob will explain why. If a particular option is unlikely to achieve the result you want, he will explain that too.
Patients are encouraged to take time after their consultation to consider the information they have received rather than feeling pressured to make an immediate decision.
Medical terminology can make an already significant decision feel unnecessarily complicated.
Rob’s communication style is down-to-earth, transparent and empathetic. He explains procedures and risks in straightforward language and gives patients the opportunity to ask questions throughout their care.
Importantly, patients at North East Breast Surgery deal directly with Rob rather than being passed between sales coordinators and different clinicians.
His approach is simple:
"I treat every patient with the same dignity and attention I would expect for my own family."
That relationship continues from consultation and surgical planning through to surgery and postoperative follow-up.
A technically good surgical result matters, but Rob does not judge success on appearance alone.
His focus is on achieving natural, balanced and proportionate results while considering what the operation could mean for the patient's wider quality of life.
For someone undergoing breast reduction surgery, for example, success might also mean reduced physical discomfort, exercising more comfortably or feeling less restricted by clothing.
One experience that has particularly stayed with Rob involved a breast reduction patient who told him at her postoperative review that she had been able to run comfortably for the first time in 15 years and was no longer experiencing chronic shoulder pain.
For Rob, improvements like these are an important reminder that breast surgery is not necessarily about appearance alone.
One misconception we regularly encounter is that cosmetic breast surgery is purely cosmetic in motivation.
Patients can seek treatment for a wide range of physical and personal reasons. Large breasts, for example, may contribute to discomfort and restrict exercise or everyday activities. Other patients may want to address breast shape, asymmetry or concerns relating to existing implants.
Rob believes patients should also understand that bigger or more dramatic does not automatically mean better.
His preference is for natural, proportional outcomes that suit the individual patient’s body, combined with realistic expectations about recovery and the time required for healing.
Rob provides specialist assessment and treatment for women considering:
And other more complex surgeries. Every recommendation is based on individual assessment rather than a standard treatment pathway.
Rob trained at Newcastle University and has lived and worked in the North East for around two decades.
That connection extends beyond his clinical practice. Outside surgery, Rob values time with his family, being outdoors and contributing to surgical education.
He believes these parts of his life help keep his approach to medicine grounded in something straightforward: treating people with kindness, warmth and respect.
Private consultations and surgery with North East Breast Surgery take place at The Beverley Hospital and Clinic, The Edge, Fifth Avenue, Team Valley, Gateshead NE11 0XA, conveniently located for patients travelling from Newcastle, Gateshead and across the wider North East.
If you are considering breast surgery, your first priority should be understanding your options rather than feeling committed to a procedure.
A consultation with Rob gives you the opportunity to discuss your concerns directly with the consultant surgeon who would be responsible for your treatment, ask questions and receive a clear assessment of what may be appropriate for you.
There is no pressure to proceed.
