World Cancer Day – Cancer Services at MKUH
Saturday 4th February marks World Cancer Day, an initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to raise worldwide awareness, improve education, and catalyse personal and collective action.
Opened in 2020, the Cancer Centre at MKUH brings together under one roof all hospital cancer services. It offers oncology, clinical haematology and cancer-related chemotherapy services, inpatient and outpatient services alongside a wellbeing support service.
It provides a dedicated space offering treatment and a wide range of information and support services to anyone affected by cancer, all within a comfortable and welcoming environment.
Over the past year the Cancer Centre has seen over 21,000 attendances across venesections, nurse-led clinic appointments, systemic anti-cancer therapy cycles, and more.
The past year has also seen the below milestones and achievements:
Day Care Unit
Bookwise
Introduced an online booking service consisting of a scheduling system that has been developed and introduced to improve our patients’ journey through the Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy. The booking service has improved communication between healthcare professionals caring for the patient, enhanced the capacity of the day care unit, and allowed pharmacy to view activity and prioritise their workload accordingly.
Plum 360 infusion pumps
Plum 360 pumps were introduced last year to enable the chemotherapy day unit to deliver treatment over a shorter period with increased safety and efficacy. The Plum 360 infuser can deliver fluids over a broad range of infusion rates and is capable of concurrent delivery. They have been pivotal in increasing capacity, standardising individual nurse practice, and improving the safety of handling and administration of cytotoxic medicines.
Ward 25
Empathic Ward
Empathic Ward was introduced to ward 25 with the aim of improving staff experience and enhancing patient safety. Providing real-time tracking of factors such as ECG machines, WOWS, drug carts, CD keys, Hoists, scales, defibrillators, Empathic Ward aims to improve efficiencies on the ward.
Virtual ward rounds
Virtual ward rounds were introduced to improve communication within the Multi-Disciplinary Team to improve patient discharge and to complete board rounds forms including patient predicted discharge dates.
All areas
‘Have your say’ boards
All patients attending the cancer centre are encouraged to leave any suggestions or comments regarding their experience on the ‘have your say’ boards located both in reception area day care and outside ward 25. The responses we receive are acted on in real time with a ‘you said, we did’ board to be introduced soon, communication what action has been taken.
Comments have included:
“Thank you so much for all your kindness and support you have given.”
“Clean, understanding, comfortable, helpful, welcoming and supportive.”
“Bright and cheery unit. Wonderful, kind and caring nurses who always have the ability to make me laugh even when I feel low and miserable. They work so hard and have so much to do. I’m amazed that they still manage to be smiley and positive. They are wonderful.”
Secondary Breast Cancer Support
This patient support group was introduced last year. Attended by the breast care nurses and patients, the group gave patients the opportunity to reflect on their diagnosis and their experiences. The group ran over six weeks and focused on relationships, nutrition, exercise, and the psychology of living with an incurable cancer. The support group demonstrated how important the cancer centre is for patients and the support of their key workers.
Cancer ANPS/Clinical Nurse Specialists
All the milestones and achievements have been supported by our dedicated Cancer Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists who act as key workers across the patient’s cancer pathway with in-depth knowledge of the patient’s tumour site, providing holistic care and improving patient experience.
Last Modified: 8:42am 07/02/2023
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