Developing Services
Introducing Services for Cancer Survivors who have Complex Consequences of Treatment
Some people have very complex problems caused by cancer treatments, severely affecting their health and well-being. For example, pelvic radiotherapy can cause abdominal pain, urgency, diarrhoea, faecal incontinence and other problems that can seriously affect quality of life. There are currently few specialist services available to help them.
We are working to improve this situation through the following projects:
- Guidance for Healthcare Professionals
This project aims to provide guidance for healthcare professionals who care for patients with consequences of pelvic cancer treatment. We have recently launched guidance on gastrointestinal effects. We are now looking at whether guidance can be developed for urological and sexual functions.
- Evaluating Specialist Services for Severe Consequences of Treatment
This project will focus on evaluating existing specialist services for patients with severe consequences of pelvic cancer treatment. Knowledge from these existing services will be used to set up at least one new service and to influence health commissioners.
- Developing a Health and Lifestyle Coaching Programme Following Cancer Treatment
The aim of this study is to evaluate the way in which people cope following a cancer diagnosis. It also looks to evaluate the development and delivery of a programme of intervention to support self-management after treatment, based on the cognitive behavioural approach.
This project will also help to assess the acceptability of early discharge from follow up care from a patient’s perspective.
- A Bowel Management Intervention following Rectal Cancer Treatment
This project is looking to develop a bowel management programme, giving information, support and treatment of any self-reported bowel problems. It aims to reduce the consequences for cancer survivors who have had rectal cancer treatment.
- Radiotherapy Action Group Exposure (RAGE)
The RAGE project explored how to support women severely affected by radiotherapy for breast cancer in the 1980s. The project team piloted self-managed grants and specialist multi-disciplinary clinics with RAGE members. This project is now complete and you can read the final report below.
Download - The Story of RAGE [PDF, 256KB]Download - RAGE Final Report [PDF, 250KB]
- Community Programme of Stepped Support for Prostate Cancer Survivors (STEP)
This project is looking at what aftercare services already exist within West Sussex for men with prostate cancer. The project will be identifying ways to assess the patients, identify those who may be at risk of developing consequence of treatment and develop services to support cancer survivors to be able to self manage.
- Identifying and Managing the Long Term Consequences of Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
This project will be looking at existing services for survivors of head and neck cancers to see what their consequences of treatment are and identify where their support needs are not being met. The project will then develop and test how these support needs can be met through self management.
- Radiographer led Telephone Follow-Up Following Radiotherapy to the Pelvis
This project is looking at the benefits of radiographers following-up with their patients by phone following treatment. Mount Vernon hospital have been running a very successful telephone follow-up service for patients following pelvic radiotherapy. This project will build on this success with the aim to extend this work to the NHS Improvement prototype sites in Luton & Hillingdon, and potentially for all pelvic cancers types at Mount Vernon.
- Gastroenterologist led Clinic for Late Effects Of Pelvic Radiotherapy
The Christie NHS foundation trust gives radiotherapy treatment to 1,300 patients a year. Patients who have successfully completed this treatment may go on to have a range of problems during follow-up and beyond, of which altered bowel function is the top concern. This project is testing a new care pathway for pelvic cancer survivors with significant bowel problems including screening, recognition, referral to expert (gastroenterology) for assessment and treatment planning, along with other self-management and support strategies.
- Development and Evaluation of a Clinical Assessment System for Sexual Difficulties in Women Treated by Radical Pelvic Radiotherapy
This project aims to improve the identification of sexual concerns in women following treatment for pelvic cancers and and to develop and implement a sexual rehabilitation service within oncology.
Last updated on January 23, 2012