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Showing results for tags 'Medicine - Oncology'.
Found 77 results
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Content ArticleThe COVID-19 pandemic is sweeping across the length and breadth of the UK. As a result, NHS England has issued guidelines for effective triaging of urgent cancer 'two-week wait' referrals. The intention of this guideline is to minimise the disruption to cancer services. In order to fully understand the implications of this manual triage approach, this article, Data-Drive Triage Automation – YouDiagnose’s fight against COVID-19, will first explain the triage process during normal circumstances, and then highlight the additional impacts due to the coronavirus emergency. Finishing with a suggested solution (from YouDiagnose) to improve the efficiency of the triaging process and save lives during the pandemic.
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Content ArticleThis study, published in the British Medical Journal, found that current algorithm based smartphone apps cannot be relied on to detect all cases of melanoma or other skin cancers. Test performance is likely to be poorer than reported here when used in clinically relevant populations and by the intended users of the apps. The current regulatory process for awarding the CE (Conformit Europenne) marking for algorithm based apps does not provide adequate protection to the public.
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Content ArticleThe Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Ms Nadine Dorries, responds to the Paterson Inquiry in the House of Commons. It is followed by questions from MPs in the chamber and Ms Dorries' responses.
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News Article
Ian Paterson: Surgeon wounded hundreds amid 'culture of denial'
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A culture of "avoidance and denial" allowed a breast surgeon to perform botched and unnecessary operations on hundreds of women, an independent inquiry has found. The independent inquiry into Ian Paterson's malpractice has recommended the recall of his 11,000 patients for their surgery to be assessed. Paterson is serving a 20-year jail term for 17 counts of wounding with intent. One of Paterson's colleagues has been referred to police and five more to health watchdogs by the inquiry. The disgraced breast surgeon worked with cancer patients at NHS and private hospitals in the West Midlands over 14 years. His unregulated "cleavage-sparing" mastectomies, in which breast tissue was left behind, meant the disease returned in many of his patients. Others had surgery they did not need - some even finding out years later they did not have cancer. Patients were let down by the healthcare system "at every level" said the inquiry chair, Bishop of Norwich the Rt Revd Graham James, who identified "multiple individual and organisational failures". One of the key recommendations from the report is that the Government should make patient safety a the top priority, given the ineffectiveness of the system identified in this Inquiry. Read full story Source: BBC News, 4 February 2020 -
Content Article
Improving cancer patient safety within the emergency department
Martin Hogan posted an article in Cancers
I'm Martin. In this blog I want to talk about my role as a Macmillan acute oncology clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and what our team has done to improve patient safety within the acute ward of our hospitals. Coming from a non-oncology background there was a lot to learn when I moved into acute oncology. My background was mainly acute cardiac and respiratory, but this allowed me to notice how powerful and time effective the presence of an acute oncology CNS could be in improving cancer patient safety within the emergency department. -
Content ArticleWorld Cancer Day every 4 February is the global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). By raising worldwide awareness, improving education and catalysing personal, collective and government action, people are working together to reimagine a world where millions of preventable cancer deaths are saved and access to life-saving cancer treatment and care is equal for all – no matter who you are or where you live. Created in 2000, World Cancer Day has grown into a positive movement for everyone, everywhere to unite under one voice to face one of our greatest challenges in history. Each year, hundreds of activities and events take place around the world, gathering communities, organisations and individuals in schools, businesses, hospitals, marketplaces, parks, community halls, places of worship – in the streets and online – acting as a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play in reducing the global impact of cancer. This year's World Cancer Day's theme, 'I Am and I Will', is all about you and your commitment to act. Through positive actions, together we can reach the target of reducing the number of premature deaths from cancer and noncommunicable diseases by one third by 2030.
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Content ArticleAs a cancer professional, there can sometimes be barriers to engaging patients and carers in your work. This film, made by a group of people affected by cancer working with professionals, highlights some top tips to help you get started.
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Content ArticleA communication passport is a way of supporting a vulnerable person with communication difficulties when they have to transition through different events, such as changing schools, or their first job. Ryan’s family made a specific communication passport for his medical file so that all the medical professionals could learn a little about Ryan before they met him and therefore be better prepared and able to interact with him. Here, his mum shares their example to illustrate how it can be used to improve quality of care.
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Content ArticleThere are few validated tools to identify treatment‐related adverse events across cancer care settings. This study seeks to develop oncology‐specific 'triggers' to flag potential adverse events among cancer patients using claims data.
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Content Article
Improving safety for oncology healthcare workers and patients
Claire Cox posted an article in Cancers
Philippa Jones, past head of acute oncology, speaks to ecancer at UKONS 2019 in Telford about safety with regards to not only patients, carers and families but also healthcare workers. She explains that measures include appropriate training, qualifications and understanding of treatments so that they can give good advice and support to patients. Philippa highlights some training resources, guidelines and development opportunities for nurses and other healthcare workers. -
Content ArticleDelivering world-class cancer research is at the heart of what they do at The Christie. Developing new treatments to improve outcomes for patients is one of their key priorities. They lead research into innovative techniques such as using DNA to personalise treatment and to help people’s immune systems fight cancer and there are more than 650 clinical research studies and trials running at any given time. The Christie have internationally recognised expertise in cancer research. Their research makes a difference for people living with cancer and their friends and families. Cancer research expertise at The Christie includes: running research studies and trials across all types of cancer delivering the highest quality clinical trials identifying appropriate research participants and involving them in the right research studies providing an excellent service and patient support Watch Professor John Radford's video explaining the importance of research at The Christie
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Content Article
Children with Cancer: A day in the life Laraib
Claire Cox posted an article in By patients and public
Children with Cancer UK is a charity whose mission is to improve survival rates and the quality of survival in young cancer patients, and to find ways to prevent cancer in the future. They fund groundbreaking research to help children with cancer. They,raise awareness to inspire others to help, and they support families with our welfare projects. In these videos, follow Laraib, an inspiring child diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), through a 24-hour window into her life. Understand what it means to be a child living with cancer and learn about the vast support network that’s needed to care for those affected by the disease. -
Content Article
Improvements in patient safety: Encouraging patient-reporting of symptoms
Claire Cox posted an article in Cancers
Dr Catherine Oakley speaks to ecancer at the 2019 UKONS meeting in Telford about the recognition of patient symptoms during treatment. She explains some of the issues that patients face during treatment and why they may be hesitant in reporting their symptoms. Dr Oakley states that the Cancer Research UK patient treatment guide, which has been based on the UKONS triage tool can be used to help patients manage their treatments. -
News Article
‘Critical decision-making’ at major cancer centre left to trainees
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Trainee oncologists at a major cancer centre covered clinics and made “critical” decisions without senior supervision, including for cancers they were not trained for, HSJ has revealed. A Health Education England (HEE) reviews aid: “The review team was concerned to hear that trainees were still expected to cover clinics where no consultant was present, including clinics relating to tumour sites that they were unfamiliar with.” Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust’s trainee clinical oncologists felt “they could only approach 50–75% of the consultants for critical decision-making”, the document said. The HEE “urgent concern review” report said: “The trainees also reported that there was a continued lack of clear consultant supervision for inpatient areas in clinical oncology, which meant that they were not able to access senior support for decision-making.” A trust spokesman said: “We recognise that senior support to the clinical team is a vital part of keeping our patients safe.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 16 January 2020 -
News Article
AI 'outperforms' doctors diagnosing breast cancer
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Artificial intelligence is more accurate than doctors in diagnosing breast cancer from mammograms, a study in the journal Nature suggests. An international team, including researchers from Google Health and Imperial College London, designed and trained a computer model on X-ray images from nearly 29,000 women. The algorithm outperformed six radiologists in reading mammograms. AI was still as good as two doctors working together. Unlike humans, AI is tireless. Experts say it could improve detection. Sara Hiom, director of cancer intelligence and early diagnosis at Cancer Research UK, told the BBC: "This is promising early research which suggests that in future it may be possible to make screening more accurate and efficient, which means less waiting and worrying for patients, and better outcomes." Read full story Source: BBC News, 2 January 2020 -
Content Article
Primary care cancer toolkit
Claire Cox posted an article in Cancers
This Primary Care Cancer Toolkit provides a collection of key resources about cancer prevention, diagnosis and care relevant for the primary care setting. It provides links to current guidance, continuing professional development resources, patient information, and information for those involved in commissioning. -
Content ArticleThe UKONS Telephone Triage Tool Kit outlines a clear symptom based, RAG rated ( RED, AMBER, GREEN) risk assessment process. It is used for telephone triage of patients who: have received or are receiving systemic anticancer therapy have received any other type of anticancer treatment, including radiotherapy and bone marrow graft/transplant may be suffering from disease-/treatment-related immunosuppression. The UKONS tool is evidence based and has been piloted and evaluated positively. It can be used by almost all, regardless of skill level or experience, and identifies patients at risk and advises action according to the level of risk.
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News ArticleCancer patients are being pushed to “breaking point” because of a lack of support from overstretched nurses and carers, a leading charity has warned. Almost half of specialist cancer nurses have told the Macmillan Cancer Support charity that their high workload was having a negative impact on patient care, while one in five people diagnosed with the disease say the staff responsible for their care have unmanageable demands. Now the charity says this is affecting patients, with thousands calling its specialist support helpline in distress and worried because they feel they can’t get answers from their health workers. Read full story Source: The Independent, 31 December 2019
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News Article
Health strike: Action could delay cancer diagnoses
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Patients are facing a week of disruption, with more than 10,000 outpatient appointments and surgeries cancelled in Belfast. Some people referred by their GPs on suspicion of cancer could have their diagnosis delayed, the head of the Belfast Trust has said. The trust apologised, blaming industrial action on pay and staffing. Martin Dillon said outpatient cancellations "could potentially lead to a delay in treatment" for cancer. The Department of Health said the serious disruption to services was "extremely distressing". Read full story Source: BBC News, 2 Decmeber 2019 -
News Article
Breast cancer: Patient creates app to help with treatment
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A mobile app designed by a patient is helping people with breast cancer prepare for the start of radiotherapy. The treatment requires them to raise their arm above their head, but patients often find that difficult or painful after breast surgery. Exercises are important but Karen Bonham said leaflets giving details did not help her enough. So she helped create the app to offer exercise videos and medics say it is helping more women be ready on time. Staff at Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff say they have noticed fewer patients needing urgent referral for physiotherapy ahead of the treatment since the "Breast Axilla Postoperative Support app", or BAPS App, was launched in February. Kate Baker, clinical lead physiotherapist at Velindre, who helped devise the app, said: "Previously, we've always handed out information on exercises in a leaflet, that patients would be given by a physiotherapist and taken home. But often these pieces of paper get lost and they're not followed through. "What we wanted to do was provide exercises, physical activity advice and further information in an app format, which would allow individuals to have it with them at all times." Donna Egbeare, breast surgeon at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, who was also involved in developing the bilingual app, said the impact of being able to start radiotherapy on schedule was significant. Read full story Source: BBC News, 27 November 2019 -
Content Article
Review of national cancer screening programmes in England
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Cancers
Leading expert Professor Sir Mike Richards was jointly commissioned by NHS chief executive Simon Stevens and Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock to make recommendations on overhauling national screening programmes, as part of a new NHS drive for earlier diagnosis and improved cancer survival. -
Content Article
HQCA: Patient Experience Awards 2019
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Implementation of improvements
For the fourth year, the Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA), in partnership with the Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC), held the Patient Experience Awards programme to recognise and help spread knowledge about initiatives that improve the patient experience in accessing and receiving healthcare services in Alberta, Canada. Applications spanned all corners of the province and came from a wide variety of care settings, and ranged from “elegantly simple” to complex in nature. The initiatives described reflected the diverse healthcare needs of Albertans and were equally diverse in their approach to healthcare improvement. However, they all had one thing in common: A desire to make change and deliver a better patient and family member experience. -
Content ArticleThe Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) was set up by Parliament to provide an independent complaint handling service for complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS in England and UK government departments. This report look at how a man died after excessive wait for cancer treatment.
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Content Article
Patient Stories: Paul's Story (10 March 2013)
Claire Cox posted an article in Patient stories
In 2007, when Paul Richards was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, his family were stunned by the news. This powerful film from Patient Stories is based on the testimony of Lisa, Paul’s wife, who gives a moving account of the events that led to Paul’s death and explores the effects on their family. -
Content ArticleThe purpose of this study was to describe patient engagement as a safety strategy from the perspective of hospitalised surgical patients with cancer.
