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Cancer Alliance

Oct 16

Modern screening can be more personalised and convenient to save lives says new report

By Awareness and Early Diagnosis

The NHS has the opportunity to upgrade cancer screening to save thousands more lives each year, a major report said today.

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.

In his report, Sir Mike, who was the NHS’ first cancer director as well as the CQC’s chief inspector of hospitals, called for people to be given much greater choice over when and where they are screened.

Women should be able to choose appointments at doctors’ surgeries, health centres or locations close to their work during lunchtime or other breaks rather than having to attend their own GP practice.

Local screening services should put on extra evening and weekend appointments for breast, cervical and other cancer checks.

NHS Targeted Lung Health Checks will take place on a mobile unit.

And as people lead increasingly busy lives, local NHS areas should look at ways that they can provide appointments at locations that are easier to access.

The plan for more convenient checks comes as NHS England is gearing up to roll out lung health checks using scanners on trucks in supermarket carparks and other public spaces.

Sir Mike’s report also called for more to be done to drive uptake through social media campaigns and text reminders. And it called for local initiatives that have successfully boosted uptake to be rolled out nationwide.

In South West London where GP practices have been following up with people who did not attend bowel screening phone calls and reminder letters have led to a 12% increase in attendance. Posting in Facebook community groups has led to a 13% increase in first time attendances for breast screening in Stoke-on-Trent over the past four years.

Sir Mike also recommended a major overhaul to the design of screening programmes.

The NHS is currently upgrading the cervical screening programme with the introduction of ‘primary HPV’ which will reduce the number cervical smears that NHS labs need to review.

The bowel screening programme is being upgraded by NHS England with a new easier to use ‘FIT’ poo test.

And the £200 million of extra NHS diagnostics investment announced by the Government will upgrade and replace older mammography and diagnostic imaging equipment.

Initial allocations are being made today to NHS providers with equipment that most needs replacing.

These steps all contribute to the NHS Long Term Plan goal of saving an extra 55,000 lives each year within a decade by catching three quarters of all cancers early when they are easier to treat.

Sir Mike welcomed the work NHS England, NHS Digital, Public Health England and NHSX are doing to upgrade ageing IT systems, adding that this process must continue.

This will help screening continue to change over the next decade, and the NHS needs to evolve to adapt to these changes, including the use of artificial intelligence to free up capacity for NHS staff and develop blood tests to screen for a range of cancers.

In future screening will become more personalised, where appropriate using genetics and other factors to determine the risk people face of developing cancer or other diseases and testing them appropriately.

His report also calls for:

  • Across all screening programmes, patients should receive results within a standard timetable
  • Establishing a single advisory body, bringing together the current functions of the UK National Screening Committee on population screening and NICE on screening for people at elevated risk of serious conditions
  • NHS England to become the single body responsible for commissioning and delivery of screening services, ending any existing confusion on who does what
  • Breast screening providers should aim to invite people at 34-month intervals after their previous appointment so that all participants can be screened within 36 months

Professor Sir Mike Richards said: “Screening programmes are a vital way for the NHS to save more lives through prevention and earlier diagnosis and currently they save around 10,000 lives every year – that is something to be immensely proud of.

“Yet we know that they are far from realising their full potential – people live increasingly busy lives and we need to make it as easy and convenient as possible for people to attend these important appointments.

“The recommendations in this report are intended to help deliver the commitments set out in the NHS Long Term Plan and will hopefully save even more lives.”

Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive said: “I’m grateful to Sir Mike for taking on this important assignment. His sensible recommendations keep all that is good about NHS screening services, while rightly setting out a blueprint for more convenient access, upgraded technology, and progressively more tailored approaches to early diagnosis.

“He is also right to point to the need to align the expert advice offered to the NHS, and streamline and simplify accountabilities for operational delivery.”

Health Secretary, Matt Hancock said:  

“I would like to record my thanks to Professor Richards for his brilliant report, which brings together a substantial number of recommendations.

“After careful consideration, I can announce that Public Health England, our national public health agency, will host world-class scientific and expert advice on screening, building on its current role as host of the UK National Screening Committee. This expert advice will inform the delivery of national screening services by the NHS.”

Click here to view Professor Sir Mike Richards’ report of the Review of Adult Screening Programmes in England.

Oct 02

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By Awareness and Early Diagnosis

October is breast cancer awareness month, so we ask you to help raise awareness of the signs and symptoms we need to talk to our GP about. The signs and symptoms to look out for include:

  • a new lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast
  • a change in the size or shape of the breast(s)
  • bloodstained nipple discharge
  • a lump or swelling in your armpit(s)
  • dimpling on the skin of your breasts
  • a rash on or around your nipple

Breast cancer can also affect men, with the main symptom being a lump in the breast. Men should also talk to their GP if the nipple or skin around it changes, including an inverted nipple (the nipple is turning inwards), a sore or rash on the nipple, or discharge from the nipple. You should also see your GP about swollen glands in your arm pit.

Early diagnosis saves lives, so act now and talk to your GP if you have any signs or symptoms that you are worried about.

For more information visit the NHS breast cancer pages.

Sep 19

Fastest drop in smoking rate in over a decade as Stoptober launches

By Uncategorised

Stoptober is back to help more smokers split up from their relationship with smoking.

This Stopober, smokers are being encouraged to end a bad relationship and split up with smoking for 28 days from 1st October.

The latest data from the UCL Smoking Toolkit Study suggest a 2.2% drop in adult smoking prevalence so far in 2019. Public Health England is encouraging England’s remaining smokers to join in with the nation’s biggest quit attempt and is providing them with the information and support they need to split up with smoking now.

If you are a smoker, quitting is the best thing you can do for your health and the health of those around you. Whether you’ve tried to quit before, or this is the first time, Stoptober is encouraging you to become part of the movement and join thousands of people who are splitting up with smoking this October. If you make it to 28 days, you’re five times more likely to stay smokefree.

Just search ‘Stoptober’ online to find a range of free quitting support including the Stoptober app, Facebook messenger bot, daily emails and Stoptober online communities.

Sep 18

Treatment and Pathways – Colorectal Business Meeting

By Treatment and Pathways

On 17th September 2019, Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance (HCV CA) held a Colorectal Business Meeting for clinicians and managers across the locality.

The agenda included updates from the Cancer Alliance and discussions around FIT implementation for low risk symptomatic patients across the area, which will be rolled out in HCV region by December 2019, the development of Inter-Provider Transfers guidelines for colorectal cancer patients, final details for the HCV Colorectal Operational Policy, Rapid Diagnostic Pathways and the implementation and streaming of MDT guidelines.

It was also noted that HCV CA recently took part in a nation evaluation and monitoring programme that CADEAS are running. This is the monitoring and progress of implementation of NICE DG30 guidance and HCV CA contributed through an interview, which will be published as part of a national evaluation next year.

Praminthra Chitsabesan, Colorectal Clinical Lead for HCV CA, chaired the event and said:

“Working more closely in a collegiate and co-operative way is important. Together, we aim to improve cancer care throughout the whole process – right from a patient who may or may not have symptoms, through to primary and tertiary care.

It’s not only important to improve our ability to cure patients but also to improve their abilities to live with cancer, making work around palliation and supportive care just as vital.

To this end we are trying to develop a Humber, Coast and Vale operational policy for colorectal cancer that is agreed across the whole patch and the response to the initial document at this meeting has been very good. It has allowed us to set out a stall for what we think is great care while allowing us to finesse our processes.”

A further colorectal business meeting will be held in December 2019 and will continue to build on the work plan.

Sep 05

Cancer patients at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust are set to benefit from a new Treatment Summary.

By Personalised Care

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have developed and launched a Cancer Treatment Summary document.

The Treatment Summary is a document produced by secondary cancer care professionals at the end of a patient’s treatment. The summary is given to the person affected by cancer and will be shared with their GP.

It provides important information, including information about side effects and/or consequences of treatment, signs and symptoms of a recurrence and any actions needed to be taken by the GP.

Treatment Summaries facilitate a standardised and consistent approach to sharing crucial information between primary and secondary care and the person living with cancer. It helps inform the Cancer Care Review discussion between patient and GP and ensures that GPs are aware of the patients’ current circumstances following treatment.

Treatment Summaries can be used and shared with other healthcare professionals.

Bianca Cipriano, Macmillan Recovery Package Project Manager for York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“The process of developing this document has seen considerable collaboration between various departments, organisations and people affected by cancer. It has been time consuming but worthwhile however the final document utilises existing information and pre-populates the documentation.  The Treatment Summary is personalised and sits alongside other interventions, such as the Holistic Needs Assessments & Care Planning to support self-management.”

Alison Cockerill, Living with and Beyond Programme Manager for Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance, said:

“York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust are to be commended for developing and making Treatment Summaries available for all cancer patients going forward.

The development of the Treatment Summaries was supported by the provision of Transformation Funding from the Living With and Beyond Cancer programme. Recognising the importance and the scale of the challenge of developing treatment summaries for all patients with cancer regardless of the tumour site and treatment, the trust’s Living with and Beyond team were able to use Cancer Alliance Transformation Funding to provide dedicated IT time to enable the work to take place.

This is just one example of the implementation of the Living With and Beyond Cancer programme which are taking place across Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance and contributes to our vision of ‘Achieving world class cancer outcomes for our communities’.”

Aug 01

Queens Centre Awarded Macmillan Quality Environment Mark

By Personalised Care

The Queens Centre at Castle Hill Hospital has been awarded the Macmillan Quality Environment Mark (MQEM). Created by Macmillan Cancer Support, the MQEM is a detailed quality framework used for assessing whether cancer care environments meet the standards required by people living with cancer.

This is the third time that the Queens Centre for Oncology and Haematology has been successful in receiving this award, having already achieved the required standards in 2013 and 2016.

Queens Centre

In meeting Level 5 MQEM standards, Queens Centre has demonstrated to users of its environment that it is:

> welcoming and accessible to all
> respectful of people’s privacy and dignity
> supportive to users’ comfort and well-being
> giving choice and control to people using your service
> listening to the voice of the user.

The MQEM assessment report evidenced that there was an ‘extremely high appreciation of the building, the services and the care provided by staff’ and it was noted that ‘team working across all disciplines of staff  including cleaners, nurses, volunteers, doctors, radiologists and pharmacists means the patient is at the heart of the services provided. This was noticeable at all levels of the organisation and helps create the family atmosphere that was observed within the hospital.’ A view echoed by Carol Rogers, Trust Lead Cancer Management Support Officer at the Queens Centre. Carol said:

“Whilst carrying out the MQEM assessment, I spoke with patients and staff members at the centre and was overwhelmed by the feedback. Patients noted that all staff, whether in a cleaning, catering or clinical role, are supportive and it was clear to see the sense of pride that each staff member has to work here.”

Carol Rogers and Julie Watson

Beverley Geary, Chief Nurse at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“I am delighted that our Queens Centre has, once again, been awarded this prestigious award.  It is testament to the hard working and dedicated staff that we have in our Trust.

It is even more significant to the Trust that we have achieved this for the third time running and that the award is measured on our patients’ feedback of our services.”

Julie Watson, Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“Undertaking the assessment process was once again a very positive experience and we are pleased that the Queens Centre continues to be recognised as a supportive environment for patients, where their voices are heard and reflected within the work we do and the changes we make. We always strive to ensure that we get the best out of our environment and to make sure that the care pathway is the best it can be for the patient.”

All three acute hospital trusts within the Humber, Coast and Vale region (Hull University Teaching Hospital, York Teaching Hospital and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust) have been awarded the MQEM award since it began in 2010.

For more information about MQEM, please visit https://www.macmillan.org.uk/about-us/health-professionals/programmes-and-services/mqem

Jul 30

Free make-up and skincare session for people undergoing cancer treatment

By Personalised Care, Uncategorised

People who are going through cancer treatment will have the chance to feel a bit more like their usual selves this week as experts come together for a special event.

The Personalised Care team from Castle Hill Hospital will be joining the Boots Macmillan Team to provide advice on everything from diet and exercise to skincare, make up, support groups and more.

The event will take place in Boots St Stephen’s, Hull, between 10am and 3pm on Thursday 1st August.

Visitors can expect top tips on how to apply make-up while undergoing treatment and how best to care for sensitive skin from experts representing top brands including No7, Dior, Liz Earle, Bare Minerals, Lancôme and Clinique.

Clinical experts, meanwhile, will also be on hand to talk people through the more practical and physical elements of coping with cancer.

Claire Walker, Macmillan Associate Practitioner with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Living With and Beyond Cancer Team says:

“We understand that going through cancer treatment can be a really worrying time, and people have all sorts of questions from ‘will I lose my hair?’ to ‘how will I pay the bills’ and everything in between.

“Our clinical team will be on hand to talk to people about life after cancer treatment, and that’s everything from fatigue and physical recovery to emotional support and activity groups to get involved with.

“Patients also worry about the side effects of cancer treatment and how this might impact on their looks and their sense of identity. Some people suffer from dry skin or can no longer wear the makeup they used to wear, while some lose their eyebrows as a result of their treatment and would like advice on how to draw them on.

“The Boots Macmillan Team are very sensitive to and very experienced in helping people with these kinds of issues, and with the help of some top brand cosmetics, they’re looking forward to sharing their knowledge and helping visitors look and feel more like their old selves again.”

For more information, contact the Living With and Beyond Cancer team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust on 01482 461091.

 

Jun 13

More convenient cancer screening services must be rolled out to boost uptake, says Professor Sir Mike Richards

By Awareness and Early Diagnosis

The NHS should roll out online booking, out of hours appointments and text reminders to boost the uptake of breast, cervical and other screening services, leading expert Professor Sir Mike Richards said today.

 

Sir Mike, who was the first NHS cancer director and is a former CQC chief inspector of hospitals, is leading a major overhaul of national cancer screening programmes as part of a renewed drive to improve care and save lives.

 

Increasing early detection of cancers when they are easier to treat is at the heart of the NHS’s Long Term Plan to upgrade services and make sure patients benefit from new technologies and treatments.

 

Sir Mike’s interim report, published today, calls for practical measures to be used across the NHS to make screening more convenient and reverse the long-standing decline in the proportion of people being tested.

 

Professor Sir Mike Richards said: “Our screening programmes have led the world and save around 9,000 lives every year.

 

“However, people live increasingly busy lives and we need to make having a screening appointment as simple and convenient as booking a plane ticket online.”

 

“The technology exists in many other walks of life and by adopting it across the NHS we can help identify even more cancers early when they are easier to treat and save more lives.”

 

Screening can help spot problems early before a person has any symptoms, when cancer is often easier to treat. In some cases, it can even prevent cancers from developing in the first place, by spotting people at risk.

 

The NHS sent people over 11 million invitations for screening last year but the proportion of women participating in cervical screening is at the lowest for a decade.

 

Sir Mike’s interim report states that the decline in the numbers of women taking up breast and cervical screening can be stopped and should be reversed as a priority.

 

The report says that outdated IT systems lead to problems with monitoring the quality of current screening programmes. IT will need to be radically upgraded across the country while maintaining public trust in how the NHS holds, shares and uses data.

 

Sir Mike also said that clarity is needed over the governance arrangements because the way responsibilities are divided between the NHS, Public Health England and the Department for Health is confused.

 

He will deliver his final report later in the summer with further recommendations on:

 

Future management, delivery and oversight of screening programmes

The use of Artificial Intelligence to free up workforce pressure

Increasing uptake of screening and making it more targeted in high risk communities

Professor Sir Mike Richards added: “The next stage of the review will focus on solutions to make screening services as effective as possible, looking at recent advances in technology, future management of the programmes and innovative approaches to selecting people for screening.”

 

There are three national cancer screening programmes in England.

 

Cervical screening – offered to women aged 25 to 64, with screening offered every three years for women aged up to 49 and every five years from 50 to 64.

Breast screening – offered to women aged 50 to 70, with women over 70 able to self-refer for screening.

Bowel screening – offered to men and women aged 60 to 74, and another bowel screening test offered to men and women at the age of 55 in some parts of England.

The work and recommendations of the independent review of cancer screening programmes has wider implications and the remit of the review will be extended to include a focus on other screening programmes and diagnostic capacity for cancer.

 

Click here to read Professor Sir Mike Richards full interim report.

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