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Cancer Alliance

Apr 03

New Managing Director appointed to Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance

By Uncategorised

The Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance has appointed a new Managing Director, Yvonne Elliott.

Yvonne started with us on 27th March 2020 and, over the next few months, will be spending time speaking with colleagues and the community as she transitions into her new role.

On beginning her new position during the COVID-19 pandemic, Yvonne said,

“It is important that Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance is there to offer support and assistance to all our stakeholders in these challenging and ever-changing times. That includes patients, primary care, clinical commissioning groups, and hospital trusts, as well as the third sector – all with regards to the coordination and provision of cancer services across Humber, Coast and Vale.

We are here to help, to offer support, and to come together so that our colleagues at the front line of delivering cancer care can focus their efforts on patients. We will continue to work with our partners in a way that provides them with assurance and will respond flexibly to support them at this time.”

Yvonne is an experienced Executive Director with a career spanning services across both primary and community care. She joins us from Primary Care Sheffield where, as Deputy Chief Executive, Yvonne led on the development of new models for primary care at scale. Yvonne is also the joint Senior Executive for the community mental health transformation national programme of change.

Before this, Yvonne was Deputy CEO for City Health Care Partnership in Hull and East Riding. During her career, she has gained considerable experience in leading and mobilising large scale tenders and implementing complex organisational change at scale.

We extend a warm welcome to Yvonne.

Mar 11

Cancer Alliance Conference

By Uncategorised

The first Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance Conference took place at York Racecourse on Thursday 5th March 2020.

Over 150 people attended the event including people living with and beyond cancer, healthcare professionals and representatives from organisations such as Intelerad, Cancer Research UK and Healthwatch.

The event consisted of snapshot presentations which showcased and celebrated the work that is taking place across the Alliance. Among the speakers was David Fitzgerald, National Cancer Programme Director from NHS England who spoke of the impact of the NHS Long Term Plan for cancer.

Delegates also heard from the Positive Note Choir, who highlighted the importance of on-going support after a cancer diagnosis and performed at the event. Bill, who is a member of the Positive Notes Choir, said:

“I have been a member of Beverley Male Voice Choir for a few years and joined the Positive Note Choir after hearing about it at my first  ‘Living With and Beyond Cancer’ outpatient appointment in November 2018.

I’m very aware of the benefits of singing both for physical and mental wellbeing,and I’ve made lots of new friends through singing with Positive Note. It is also an opportunity to repay the NHS in some small way by raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support at Castle Hill Hospital.”

Phil Mettam, Chair of Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance hosted the event and said:

“Clinicians, managers, service users, and carers gathered in York to celebrate our cancer services, but also to challenge each other to do better. Our focus was on patients, on their outcomes, and on the quality of services. Not on organisations.

“Feedback has been resounding and positive and I would like to thank everyone for supporting our conference.”

“Many of the presentations emphasised the importance of early diagnosis, the earlier we diagnose the better the chance of a positive outcome, and the more cost-efficient the care is for the tax-payer. It will be a priority for our Alliance that over the next 5 years that we all focus on improving this position.

“We were inspired by examples of clinical innovations and excited by the contribution that science can play through the evolution of genomics.  On stage discussions between our clinical leaders gave us great confidence that our committed clinicians know the challenges ahead and have the experience and skills required to help improve cancer outcomes and services.

“For me, the highlight of the conference was the Positive Note Choir who opened and closed our event. These are people who have had their lives touched in some way by cancer, their stories are compelling, moving and uplifting.”

To download our report on all the feedback collected from the day, click here. Below you can view photos from the day and watch a video from the event.

Mar 01

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

By Awareness and Early Diagnosis

March is World Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Ovarian cancer, or cancer of the ovaries, is one of the most common types of cancer in women. Here you can find the symptoms of ovarian cancer as well as information and support.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer are:

  • feeling constantly bloated
  • a swollen tummy
  • discomfort in your tummy or pelvic area
  • feeling full quickly when eating, or loss of appetite
  • needing to pee more often or more urgently than usual

These can be similar to symptoms of other more common conditions, but if you’re worried about any changes in your body, please see your GP.

If you have already seen a GP and your symptoms continue or get worse, go back to them and explain this.

Information and Support

If you would like more information about diagnosis and support, please click on one of the following links.

Macmillan Cancer Support

NHS Website

Target Ovarian Cancer

Related Stories and Media

The Target Ovarian Cancer free symptoms diary is an easy way to accurately record your symptoms and communicate more effectively with your GP.

Click here to download a copy of the Symptom Diary.

Cancer Champion Training

Cancer Champions raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer, promote national screening programmes and encourage early detection.

Take part in a free Cancer Champion training session and help up raise awareness this Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

For more information and to register your place, click here.

Mar 01

Brain Tumour Awareness Month

By Awareness and Early Diagnosis

March is Brain Tumour Awareness Month.  Almost 11,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year. Here you can find the symptoms of a brain tumour as well as information and support.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a brain tumour depend on where it is in the brain. Common symptoms include:

  • headaches (often worse in the morning and when coughing or straining)
  • fits (seizures)
  • regularly feeling sick or vomiting
  • memory problems or changes in personality
  • weakness, vision problems or speech problems that get worse

If you have symptoms of a brain tumour that don’t go away, make an appointment with your GP.

Information and Support

If you would like more information about diagnosis and support, please click on the following links.

Macmillan Cancer Support

NHS Website

The Brain Tumour Charity

Related Stories and Media

More support for patients diagnosed with a brain tumour

A new support group has been set up to help patients diagnosed with a brain tumour and their carers. Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Living with and Beyond Cancer Team has begun running the monthly sessions to provide practical advice and emotional support to patients and their loved ones. Click here to read more.

Cancer Champion Training

Cancer Champions raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer, promote national screening programmes and encourage early detection.

Take part in a free Cancer Champion training session and help us raise awareness of cancer this Brain Tumour Awareness Month.

For more information and to register your place, click here.

Mar 01

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

By Awareness and Early Diagnosis

March is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Here you can find the symptoms of prostate cancer as well as information and support.

Symptoms

Most prostate problems are not caused by cancer, but it’s good to be aware of the following symptoms:

  • Difficulty peeing (for example, a weak flow or having to strain to start peeing).
  • Needing to pee more often than usual, especially at night.
  • Feeling like you have not completely emptied your bladder after peeing.
  • An urgent need to pee.
  • Blood in the pee or semen.
  • Rarely, pain when peeing or ejaculating.

These symptoms are usually caused by non-cancerous changes in the prostate rather than by cancer. However, if you have any of these symptoms make an appointment with your GP.

Information and Support

If you would like more information about diagnosis and support, please click on the following links.

Macmillan Cancer Support

NHS Website

Prostate Cancer UK

Related Stories and Media

Macmillan has launched the Talking Cancer podcast to be right there with the growing number of people living with and affected by cancer.

In episode 3, Errol talks about his Prostate diagnosis and about how he’s now made it his life’s work to educate men about prostate cancer.

Click here to listen.

Become a Cancer Champion

Cancer Champions raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer, promote national screening programmes and encourage early detection.

Take part in a free Cancer Champion training session and help up raise awareness this Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

For more information and to register your place, click here.

Mar 01

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

By Awareness and Early Diagnosis

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. The colon is part of the large bowel, which is part of the digestive system. Colon cancer is more common in older people. In the UK, almost 6 in 10 bowel cancer cases (58%) each year are diagnosed in people aged 70 and over. Here you can find the symptoms of colorectal cancer as well as information and support.

Symptoms

The symptoms of bowel cancer may include:

  • blood in, or on, your poo (stool) or bleeding from the back passage (rectum) – the blood may be bright red or dark
  • a change in your normal bowel habit that happens for no obvious reason and lasts longer than 3 weeks – for example, diarrhoea or constipation
  • unexplained weight loss
  • pain in your tummy (abdomen) or back passage
  • feeling that you have not emptied your bowel properly after you poo
  • unexplained tiredness, dizziness or breathlessness
  • a lower than normal level of red blood cells (anaemia)
  • an itchy bottom, although this is rare.

Some people start by seeing their GP after experiencing symptoms. But there are other ways you may be diagnosed:

NHS Bowel Screening

If you have any symptoms or notice anything that is unusual for you see your GP straight away.

Information and Support

If you would like more information about diagnosis and support, please click on the following links.

Macmillan Cancer Support

NHS Website

Bowel Cancer UK

Related Stories and Media

Ian’s Story

Ian was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer in 2013 but seven years on, Ian is now in remission with ongoing treatment.

Thank you to Ian for sharing his inspirational story.

Cancer Champion Training

Cancer Champions raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer, promote national screening programmes and encourage early detection.

Take part in a free Cancer Champion training session and help up raise awareness this Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

For more information and to register your place, click here.

Feb 19

Embedding Personalised Care for Haematology Cancer Patients

By Personalised Care

 

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

A recent National Cancer Patient Experience Survey reported that 30% of haematology patients at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (YTHFT) had been given a care plan. In response, the Living With and Beyond Cancer team at YTHFT launched an Improvement Collaborative project which aims to increase the number of care plans being offered to haematology cancer patients.

A process mapping session with key stakeholders showed the Living With and Beyond Cancer team how Holistic Needs Assessments (HNA) were currently being offered to patients. Being able to establish key areas for improvement allowed the team to work with haematology staff to formulate and create a clinic which offered all newly diagnosed cancer patients an electronic Holistic Needs Assessment (eHNA) and development of a care plan.

A HNA is a questionnaire that helps to identify a person’s needs and concerns. It informs the development of a personalised care and support plan.

Christine Norris, Cancer Improvement and Performance Manager at YTHFT, said: “Prior to the project the cancer nurse specialist would consider who would benefit most from completing a HNA. Through the project, we are now offering all patients who are diagnosed with haematological cancer the opportunity to complete an eHNA and develop a care plan to suit their needs.”

Qualitative and quantitative data was recorded to measure the impact of the project and every patient that received a care plan was also given a questionnaire which asked about their HNA experience.

Bianca Cipriano, Macmillan Project Manager at YTHFT, said:

“With the patient feedback, we are working closely with the Haematology team to look at how we can keep continuing to improve the experience of the patient.”

The video used to present the project at a NHS Cancer Improvement Collaborative event provides more information about the project:

To find out more about Holistic Need Assessments, please click here.

Feb 18

Championing conversations about cancer

By Awareness and Early Diagnosis, Cancer Champions

Having recently taken part in Cancer Champion training, Beccy Suddes quickly put what she had learned into practice by engaging in conversations that would help raise cancer awareness with her family and friends.

Within a week, Beccy and her three daughters had signed up to the Coppafeel text reminder service and conversed about how to spot the early signs and symptoms of cancer. Beccy said:

“Since attending my training session with Sarah at Haxby last week, I have signed my three daughters, 22, 20 and 19, and myself up to the Coppafeel text reminder service and tweeted Oddballs to find out if their Self check app will be available on iOS so that my son and hubby can sign up.  They said it would hopefully be available soon and in the meantime, I have got the boys to agree to check themselves when I remind them when I get my reminder.

“I love to talk to people and will use the information from my Cancer Champion training to help make talking about cancer and spotting the early signs part of normal family conversations.”

Cancer Champion training sessions teach people about the key facts, statistics, symptoms and screenings which are linked to a number of cancers. Click here to reserve your place on an upcoming session or to find out more about the Cancer Champion programme.

Click here to register for Coppafeel text reminder service.

Click here to view the OddBalls guide to checking yourself for testicular cancer.

 

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