National Cancer Survivorship Initiative

Is the terminology used in cancer services confusing for both patients and health professionals?

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:48:05 +0000

A survey carried out by the NCSI shows that many of the terms commonly used in cancer services, particularly in relation to active and advanced disease, can cause confusion for patients and health professionals alike.

“The word ‘progress’ to me has always meant advancement in improvement as opposed to deterioration.” (Cancer patient)

The results suggest that the use of terms such as ‘progressive’ and ‘terminal’ could lead to potentially distressing misunderstandings between health professionals and people affected by cancer. Read more

Treatment Summary now available electronically

admin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:34:45 +0000

The Treatment Summary is now available electronically on the Somerset Cancer Register. We would like to test this part of the system and hear your feedback.

If you have access to the Somerset System at your hospital and are willing to test please contact Noeline Young for further information.

Late Effects in Cancer Survivors – Sheffield, 8th & 9th March 2012

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:46:16 +0000

Macmillan are co-sponsoring this unique conference bringing together healthcare professionals from a variety of specialisms across the UK and abroad, to focus on the long term consequences of cancer and its treatments.

The programme includes some of the leading figures in cancer survivorship practice and research including Professor Mike Richards, National Cancer Director and Professor Jane Maher, Chief Medical Officer, Macmillan Cancer Support.

Event flyer, PDF [214, KB] Event programme, PDF [743, KB]

To register and find out more please visit www.late-effects.group.shef.ac.uk or email lateeffects@sheffield.ac.uk

Bone health and cancer: Clinical Implications and Palliative Care, 29th March 2012

admin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:16:42 +0000

The Macmillan Survivorship team are co-sponsoring a one-day event for health professionals looking at the clinical implications and management of cancer related bone disease and bone loss as a result of therapy. This is a research and education event, and is relevant for nurses, physicians and researchers.

This free event, which will be held at the University of Surrey, will include sessions from top speakers and practical sessions including: multidisciplinary management of skeletal related events; assessing osteoporosis risk and prevention; managing palliative bone pain, and exercise for bone health. Book your place

Help for cancer survivors with consequences of treatment – first ever guidance for clinicians

admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:58:40 +0000

Macmillan have funded the first ever clinical guidance for consequences of cancer treatment, out this month in the medical journal ‘Gut’, to help professionals deal with all the acute and chronic gastrointestinal problems which can occur as a result of treatment for cancer. “Should be required reading for all who treat patients for cancer or its sequelae”, Peer reviewer of the published guidance in ‘Gut’. Read more

NCSI teams “highly commended” at the Pfizer Excellence in Oncology Awards

admin — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:17:55 +0000

Teams from the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative have been “highly commended” at the 2011 Pfizer Excellence in Oncology Awards in the category of ‘Best Patient support Initiative’ for the work relating to the Treatment Summary.

NHS Improvement – Cancer Adult Survivorship and Macmillan Cancer Support, represented by Noeline Young, were “highly commended” at the Pfizer Excellence in Oncology Award in the category of ‘Best Patient support Initiative’ for the work relating to the Treatment Summary.

The Treatment Summary was tested in 2010 as part of the ongoing work of the NCSI. GPs had reported that they lacked a simple summary of the patients’ cancer diagnosis, treatment and ongoing management plan. A template was designed and subsequently tested.

The Pfizer Excellence in Oncology Awards recognises and rewards best practice in oncology management, education and patient care across the UK.

The Awards, now celebrating its 6th year, are judged by an independent panel of well- known leaders in the oncology arena and are supported by Pfizer Limited.

The Awards are open to all oncology healthcare professionals and there are also awards for charities, patient and professional associations.

Macmillan wins runner-up IBM Centennial Award

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:50:00 +0000

As part of IBM’s 2011 centenary celebrations they offered a global award for an IT development that was innovative, smarter working, intelligent, instrumented and interconnected. The proposed development needed to deliver integrated personalised care and promote wellness.

Macmillan’s Assessment and Care Planning, Electronic Solutions project was selected as a suitable IT project to be submitted and was the winner of the runner-up prize of US $10,000.

GPs ‘failing cancer patients’ by not spotting side-effects of treatment

admin — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:36:22 +0000

The Guardian recently published an article highlighting concerns that doctors are failing cancer patients by not identifying other serious health issues caused by the consequences of cancer treatment. Professor Jane Maher, the medical director of Macmillan Cancer Support, told the Guardian that as many as 250,000 people after their cancer diagnosis and treatment have had illnesses such as osteoporosis and heart disease go undiagnosed by their GP.
Read the full article.

Macmillan Cancer Support launches Move More campaign

admin — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:32:51 +0000

On the 8^th August 2011 Macmillan Cancer Support launched their exciting new campaign- Move More. The aim of the campaign is to encourage people living with cancer to become more physically active. Macmillan are also publishing new research that shows many health professionals are not telling cancer patients about the various benefits of physical activity after treatment.

Doing a daily minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity that raises your heart rate after cancer can reduce the effects of treatment and could also reduce the risk of mortality and recurrence. Read the concise evidence review.

British comedienne and TV favourite Jo Brand has joined forces with her co-star Joanna Scanlan and director Peter Capaldi for a brand new Move More comedy film (54 seconds) to help launch the campaign.

The Move More pack is now available and the pack includes a printed copy of Macmillan’s physical activity and cancer information, which explains everything you need to know about becoming more active during and after cancer. This also includes a guide to ‘getting started’ with an activity diary to help you plan your regime. The free ‘getting started’ pack also includes a seed pack from The National Gardens Scheme, to encourage gardening as a way to get active and ease people into physical activity after cancer treatment.

If you are a health and social care professional you can order the Move More packs for your patients in bulk from be.Macmillan.org.uk.

Commissioning Cancer Services- best practice guidance

admin — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:39:52 +0000

The Department of Health and the National Cancer Action Team published best practice guidance on ‘Commissioning Cancer Services’ this week. Many of the recommendations in the “Living with and beyond cancer” section are the result of the evidence gathering and testing that DH, Macmillan and NHS Improvement have been undertaking over the past two years.

The section of the new guidance titled ‘Living with and beyond cancer’, offers key recommendations on issues such as:

How to commission services to support people living with and beyond cancer (e.g. improved care pathways and better co-ordination of care for cancer survivors; holistic assessment and care planning; personalised risk stratification)
How to provide patients with tailored information; the document confirms that the national cancer Information Prescriptions implementation plan will be published shortly and presents a list of key commissioning questions for patient information services.

Many of the recommendations in this section are the result of the evidence gathering and testing that DH, Macmillan and NHS Improvement have been undertaking over the past two years. The vastly increased focus on survivorship within the guidelines is both recognition of the importance of support and care for cancer survivors, and a major step forward in achieving the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative’s vision of ensuring that ‍those ‍living‍ with‍ and‍ beyond‍ cancer‍ are‍ supported ‍to‍ live ‍as‍ healthy‍ and‍ active‍ a ‍life ‍as ‍possible ‍for‍ as ‍long‍ as ‍possible.

Read the Commissioning Cancer Services document.