NNUH partners with leading breast cancer charity to pledge better services for patients

A new programme dedicated to improving services for breast cancer patients has today been launched by the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH) in partnership with Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

The service pledge comes following a survey of patients who have used the Trust’s breast cancer service – from diagnosis through to final treatment – over the last six to 12 months.

The survey showed a number of areas where the breast cancer service was good, and also identified areas where further improvements could be made. The patient feedback led to a new information booklet for patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, detailing the Trust’s commitment to the pledge, and detailing exactly what patients can expect from their breast cancer treatment.

Through the service pledge initiative, Breakthrough Breast Cancer supports individual hospitals to develop their very own pledges tailored to the needs of local patients.

Joanne McGrath, NNUH Lead Breast Care Nurse Specialist said: “We will constantly strive to improve the breast service, ensuring that we offer optimal patient centred care. We pride ourselves on the compassionate attitude of our staff and providing the best possible care of our patients is always our priority.”

Patient Gay Kencroft said: “I would say that overall my treatment and care at the NNUH has been very good since my breast cancer diagnosis (November 2012). The staff who’ve dealt with me, have all been excellent, very caring and professional, doctors, nurse and radiologists alike. I hope that with the NNUH signing this pledge, it will ensure that all staff who have contact with patients, meet these high standards at all times”.

Another patient Rosie Munson said: “The friendliness of all the staff was appreciated and treatment was never rushed, the nurses especially always had time to answer any concerns I may have had”.

Emily Heard from Breakthrough Breast Cancer said: “It’s the little things like bringing a friend to an appointment that can make a huge difference to breast cancer patients; this view is at the heart of Breakthrough’s service pledge for breast cancer.” “The service pledge helps patients to speak up about what matters most to them about their local service and helps the hospital to improve these things.”

Notes for editors

About Breakthrough Breast Cancer:
• Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s vision is a future free from the fear of breast cancer.
• Breakthrough Breast Cancer is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to preventing the disease, promoting early and precise diagnosis and developing better treatments and care.
• The charity focuses its research efforts entirely on breast cancer. Through a complete understanding of the disease, Breakthrough will continue to develop better treatments to take from the laboratory and into doctors’ hands.
• As a result of the charity’s work women will no longer die from breast cancer.
• For more information go to breakthrough.org.uk

About breast cancer:
• Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK – almost 50,000 women and around 400 men are diagnosed every year.
• Breast cancer accounts for nearly one in three of all female cancers and one in eight women in the UK will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime.
• Around 1,000 women die of breast cancer every month in the UK.