Anita Bruce

Lead Consultant Genetic Counsellor for Clinical Genetics

Anita has worked as a genetic counsellor within the NHS since 2006 and was appointed as Lead Consultant Genetic Counsellor for Clinical Genetics at the North East Thames Regional Genetics service (NETRGC) in 2019.

After graduating from the University of Edinburgh with a BSc Biological Sciences (Genetics) Hons in 2003, Anita completed her MSc Genetic Counselling at the University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff in 2006. She worked as a trainee genetic counsellor and then as a genetic counsellor with the West Midlands Regional Genetic service from 2006 to 2008. Anita was then appointed as a Genetic Counsellor with the NETRGC in 2008.

Anita registered with the Genetic Counsellor Registration Board (GCRB) in 2010. The GCRB register is now held by the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS). Anita is a sign-off mentor and assessor for the GCRB. She has also been involved in writing OSFA station assessments and is a trained OSFA and IACC assessor for the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS) STP genomic counsellor training programme.

Anita is an active member of the Association of Genetic Nurses and Counsellors (AGNC), the British Society for Genetic Medicine (BSGM) and the UK Cancer Genetics Group (UKCGG). Anita served as elected co-opted trainee representative to the national AGNC committee in 2006 and 2007, served as AGNC webmaster for two years and was later elected to and served on the AGNC committee for six years as a full member, finally serving as AGNC Chair until June 2016.

Anita has extensive experience in working with families who are worried about their family history of rare genetic conditions and cancer. Anita has run rare disease, prenatal and cancer genetics clinics across the NETRGC geography of North East London and Essex. She has a particular special interest in paediatric oncology and has also previously been involved with the national retinoblastoma service.