First surgery school for prostate cancer patients

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) has held its first ‘surgery school’ to provide more support for cancer patients who are due to have their prostate removed.

More than 300 robotic-assisted radical prostatectomies take place every year at NNUH for patients with prostate cancer.

As part of an initiative to improve patient experience, a new two hour seminar has been developed by the urology team at NNUH to help reduce anxiety and provide additional support for prostate cancer patients who are due to have surgery.

Helen Walker, Kate Manley, Dan Quantrill, Phil Rustin, Trevor Beckford and Gemma Barnes who delivered the first prostate surgery school on 13 November

A multidisciplinary team and some volunteers at the hospital are looking to deliver seminars twice a month at the Willow Centre in Cringleford and will be attended by groups of five to 10 patients who are on the waiting list for surgery.

The seminars, which have the support of the Norfolk and Waveney Prostate Support Group and the Masons, will be attended by former patients who will talk about their experiences.

Attendees will also be given information about healthy eating and exercise prior to surgery, information attending a pre-operative clinic and what to expect after their procedure.  Catheters and how to look after them will also be discussed in detail and the sessions will be attended by a specialist physiotherapist who will discuss pelvic floor training to improve continence following surgery and a talk from the andrology team regarding treatments for erectile dysfunction.

Kate Manley, Urology Specialist Registrar at NNUH, said: “Coming into hospital to undergo a surgical procedure is understandably a very daunting prospect.

Knowing what to expect and being adequately prepared for surgery can make a huge difference to the amount of worry and stress that patients experience.  It is our hope that patients will really benefit from our surgery school seminars and we are very excited to be offering this new service to patients across Norfolk.”

If successful, the urology team at NNUH also plan to run similar sessions for patients due to have surgery on their bladder.

Helen Walker, Urology Clinical Nurse Specialist for Prostate, added: “We are incredibly lucky and grateful to have some patient experts who will be in attendance at each seminar – having been through the procedure themselves they are in a unique position to give valuable insights into their experiences.

In addition to the education and information provided, it is our aim that the seminars will provide a supportive environment where patients will be free to discuss any concerns they may have, and there will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and a chance to meet other patients going through similar experiences.”