NNUH Macmillan Integrated Care Pathway Project sees its 500th cancer patient

A project supporting cancer patients at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) has reached a big milestone this month by assessing its 500th patient.

Since the project launched in January 2017, the team has been using tools from the Cancer Recovery Package to support patients by improving the advice and information they receive from diagnosis, during their treatment journey, and after they finish treatment.

NNUH’s Integrated Care Pathway Project Team, funded by Macmillan Cancer Support, was established to assess patient’s individual needs and signpost them to support at key points in their cancer journey.

The team, which is made up of five Macmillan Integrated Care Practitioners and a Project Manager, has been contacting patients shortly after their diagnosis to carry out a Holistic Needs Assessment. This involves looking at all aspects of the patient’s life and working with them to ensure their physical, emotional, social, practical and spiritual needs are met.

Pamela Everett, Macmillan Integrated Care Practitioner at NNUH said: “As part of my role, I work with the Skin and Head and Neck Cancer teams and provide specialist information and signposting to those patients who have recently been diagnosed with cancer. Since the project launch, we’ve been able to enhance the support of these patients at various stages in their cancer journey. For example, I contact head and neck patients after they have had surgery. Commonly, patients tell me they find it difficult to eat, so I am able to source and post Macmillan recipe books, which they find really helpful.”

The team is also making improvements to the information which is shared with patients and their GPs once treatment has finished, ensuring they are told about possible short and longer-term side effects of treatments, and who to contact following the end of treatment. The team is working to encourage a supported self-management approach, which gives patients the knowledge and confidence to manage their wellbeing and lifestyles after cancer, and to avoid unnecessary follow-up visits to the hospital.
The team is working with organisations such as Active Norfolk and Public Health England to promote healthy lifestyles and physical and mental wellbeing during and after cancer.

Mr Vivekanandan Kumar, Urology Consultant and Cancer Lead for NNUH, said: “Nationally there is evidence that patients who receive extra help to manage the impact of cancer on their lives have a better experience and may achieve better long-term health outcomes. We treat 6,000 cancer patients each year who can potentially benefit from this extra support and we are delighted to be working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support.”

Macmillan Partnership Lead, Sally Legge said: “It’s wonderful to see so many people accessing this type of support. More and more people are living longer with cancer and we need to explore better ways to support patients to live well after a cancer diagnosis.

“The Macmillan Recovery Package is a series of key interventions which we know can greatly improve outcomes for people living with cancer. We’re thrilled to be working with NNUH to ensure people in Norfolk receive the support they need, when they need it.”

The Macmillan Integrated Care Pathway Project Team’s work is in addition to the support provided to patients during their treatment by the clinical team and specialist nurses who are in regular contact with patients about aspects of their treatment and wellbeing. The two-year project is working with teams for patients with Colorectal, Urological, Skin, Head & Neck and Upper GI cancers. At the end of the project, the results will be evaluated with a view to integrating the project as part of the NNUH Cancer Strategy in the longer term.

Fundraising efforts for Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning
In alignment with seeing their 500th patient, NNUH’s Macmillan Integrated Care Pathway Project team held an information day to coincide with Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.
They displayed a huge range of information and resources which are available to support cancer patients, their families and carers, and anyone else affected by cancer.

Bethan Harvey, Project Manager for the Macmillan ICP Project team said: “We spoke to lots of cancer patients, relatives, and others affected by a cancer diagnosis, and listened to their experiences of receiving support, advice and information at NNUH. We also raised £270 through our cake sale for Macmillan – a big thanks to our project team for organising an excellent event, and to all our star bakers for donating goodies!”

If you would like to find out more about the project, or get involved in any way, please contact Bethan Harvey, Project Manager, on 01603 287749.

Notes to editor:
About Macmillan Cancer Support in Norfolk:
Every year, over 5,700 people in Norfolk find out they have cancer. There are at least 30,700 people living with cancer in Norfolk, and the sad truth is, this number could increase to an estimated 59,700 by 20303.
One in two people in the UK are likely to get cancer in their lifetime. Cancer can affect everything, including a person’s body, relationships and finances.
Macmillan Cancer Support provides practical, emotional and personal support to people affected by cancer every year. The charity is there to support people during treatment, help with work and money worries, and listen when people need to talk about their feelings.
Last year, there were around 70 Macmillan health and social care professional posts often based at hospitals and in the community in Norfolk to support people with cancer and their families through difficult times. More than 900 people called the Macmillan Support Line for information and support. Macmillan mobile information buses were out and about in supermarkets, town centres, faith centres and workplaces in Norfolk, visited by around 2,100 local people for support. To help with money worries, more than £780,000 in unclaimed benefits was unlocked for people in Norfolk by the Macmillan Support Line and 300 people received Macmillan Grants, totalling over £109,500.5
Macmillan receives no government funding and relies on generous donations from the public. People up and down the country show their support for Macmillan – from hosting or attending a World’s Biggest Coffee Morning to running a marathon or giving up alcohol – so the charity can help more and more people affected by cancer every year.
Life with cancer is still your life and Macmillan is there to help you live it. If you want information or just to chat, call 0808 808 00 00 (Monday to Friday, 9am–8pm) or visit www.macmillan.org.uk. To get involved or make a donation please call 0300 1000 200.
References
1: The Norfolk geographical area is defined by local authority and county council boundaries.
2 Average number per year, all cancers excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, 2012-2014 period. Source: National Cancer Registration and Analytical Service (NCRAS) and Public Health England.
3: 20-year cancer prevalence in 2010: Macmillan Cancer Support and National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS). Projections to 2030 derived from: Maddams J, Utley M, Moller H. 2012. Projections of cancer prevalence in the United Kingdom (Scenario 1), 2010-2040. Br J Cancer 2012; 107: 1195-1202. Growth rates by area are based on a single UK wide growth rate. These figures serve as indicators and are likely to change as more data becomes available.
4. Macmillan Cancer Support. 2013. Cancer mortality trends: 1992–2020. Estimated based on prevalence, incidence and mortality trends.
5. All services data is for 2016. Source: Macmillan Cancer Support. Data is only included where a valid postcode was recorded. Grants data is based on unaudited data and may be subject to change. Numbers have been rounded and these figures should be considered as indicative.