PRESS RELEASE
Embargoed until 00.01, 6 November 2012
Outstanding UK cancer professionals take centre stage at the 2012 Quality in Care (QiC) Excellence in Oncology Awards
Liverpool, 6th November 2012: Last night, at a ceremony attended by some of the leading figures in UK oncology, a selection of the UK’s finest healthcare professionals, writers and charities were highlighted for their unprecedented contribution to furthering UK cancer care. Winners at the 2012 Quality in Care (QiC) Excellence in Oncology Awards included a wealth of innovative teams and professionals, all of whose initiatives will now become the centre of a unique project focused on spreading best practice in UK oncology. Those recognised included a team that saved over £700,000 by enabling 60% of local breast cancer patients to take Herceptin treatment at home; a new magazine for teenagers with cancer – written by teenagers battling the disease, and a Welsh team who focused on bringing together primary and secondary cancer care to help GPs better support patients undergoing chemotherapy. The winner of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Professor Sir Mike Richards, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care and Cancer for his unrelenting dedication to improving the lives of men and women living with cancer.
Commenting on the 2012 entrants, Dr David Dunlop, Chair of the QiC Excellence in Oncology Awards judging panel and Clinical Director, Regional Services Directorate NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Glasgow, said: “The quality and diversity of entries received in this year’s competition reinforces the fact that Britain remains a pioneer in developing and providing innovative cancer care. Many of those commended were not only improving the lives of patients with cancer but doing so at a cost saving to their health services. In these times that must be seen as a truly remarkable achievement.”
QiC Oncology is a unique partnership that brings together some of the leading figures in the UK oncology industry, patient support and NHS care. Its goal is to identify and disseminate best practice in UK cancer care and help ensure that all patients and healthcare professionals benefit from the outstanding work implemented daily by UK professionals. An evolution of the successful Pfizer Excellence in Oncology Awards, the QiC Oncology Awards, which were presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) conference, are judged by some of the most respected names in UK oncology. The winners of these awards were chosen for their originality, innovation, quality of execution and demonstration of a positive change in practice and they will now go on to form the centre of the QiC Oncology learning initiative, creating a comprehensive resource for people to learn from their work.
Commenting on the Awards, Stephen Parsons, Director of the National Cancer Action Team (NCAT), one of the QiC Oncology partner organisations said: “From the outset, the goal of the QiC Oncology Partnership has been to unearth the very best in UK oncology and build on their work to help shape future practice. These 2012 Awards have highlighted some fantastic initiatives that are making an incredible contribution in treatment and care, which serves to reinforce the potential that the QiC Partnership has to change cancer care in the UK for the better.”
THE QiC Oncology Partners
The QiC Oncology Programme is supported by the following organisations representing leading figures in the oncology industry, the NHS and patient support:
Principal partner:
Pfizer
Major partners:
Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, NCAT [National Cancer Action Team]
Partners:
Alliance Pharma, Central Homecare, Eisai, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche
Supporters:
Beating Bowel Cancer, Cancer 52, Macmillan Cancer Support, Thames Valley Cancer Network, The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation,
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2012 Excellence in Oncology Awards winners and commendations
A full list of winners and commendations from the 2012 QiC Excellence in Oncology Awards follows. For full descriptions, please refer to the winners’ booklet attached, visit www.qualityincare.org/awards/oncology or contact Reynolds-MacKenzie on the number below for more details.
MEDIA CONTACT
Louise Otterburn-Sawyer
Reynolds-MacKenzie
T: 020 7861 2821
M: 07795342938
E:
Category: Helping People Live Longer
Winner:
North East London Cancer Network: Developing and implementing a community-based prostate health clinic in Newham for hard to reach men
Launch of a pilot scheme for a community based prostate health clinic in Newham, actively encouraging greater access to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups which increased access to over 300 people.
Highly commended:
The Royal Surrey County Hospital: Increasing the uptake of extended pelvic lymphandenectomy for intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer in minimal access radical prostatectomy
Evidence in favour of performing extended pelvic lymphandenectomy (ePLND) is clear in terms of an improved cancer specific survival for patients with intermediate and high risk prostate cancer. The aim of the the project was to standardise the surgical steps for laparoscopic ePLND and a study of 500 patients was carried out. This resulted in the surgical technique being progressively refined to remove the largest number of lymph nodes in the shortest time and with the fewest complications.
Commended:
Thames Valley Cancer Network: Early awareness and diagnosis of breast cancer in women aged 70+
A Department of Health funded project that aimed to build awareness of breast cancer across the 48,000 women in Berkshire aged 70+. Over the course of the campaign, volunteers made face-to-face contact with over 4,000 members of the public.
Category: Improving the Quality of Life for People Living with Cancer
Winner:
The Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre, St James’s University Hospital: Development of the Hair Loss Support Service
A unique Hair Loss Support Service for cancer patients which launched in 2001 and improved provision to the BME community. An electronic catalogue was developed specifically for the Leeds Cancer Centre which included a diverse range of wigs that improved appeal and acceptance to audiences.
Highly commended:
NHS Lothian: Rapid referral for patients with malignant spinal cord compression provides consistent, integrated optimal patient care in the South East of Scotland
The team implemented a referral pathway for malignant spinal cord compression which comprised of regionally agreed guidelines which were developed with funding from Macmillan Cancer Support. Other aspects of the project focused on changing practice within the hospital to reduce delays and improve patient and staff education.
Commended:
Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust: Improving quality of life of lung cancer patients through a multi-professional supportive care clinic
A development of a lung supportive care clinic which provided rapid and direct access to specialist supportive care, improving patient experience and quality of life. Over a year period, 276 patients presented to the lung oncology clinic and 192 had supportive care needs.
Category: Patient Experience
Winner:
University Hospital of North Staffordshire Cancer Centre: Efficiency of Emergency Assessment Bay model for Onco-Haematological related emergencies
Implementation of an Emergency Assessment Bay model with dedicated 24/7 medical cover and specialist nursing enabling oncology and haematology patients access to more appropriate and timely care.
Highly commended:
CLIC Sargent: Shout Out! Magazine for 7-13 year olds living with cancer
First magazine created by children with cancer for other children affected by the disease, featuring information about living with cancer and having fun. Shout Out! is designed to make them feel less alone; help them cope with the impact of cancer and offer peer support.
Commended:
North East London Cancer Network: Developing and implementing a community-based prostate health clinic in Newham for hard to reach men
Launch of a pilot scheme for a community based prostate health clinic in Newham, actively encouraging greater access to BME groups which increased access to over 300 people.
Category: Patient Safety
Winner:
National Cancer Control Programme, Health Service Executive (HSE): Safe seamless nursing care for cancer patients at home - a hospital/community initiative
A national and regional project management structure set up to train community nurses treating patients undergoing systemic cancer therapy at home. The service was surveyed for effectiveness and it demonstrated that there were no urgent phone calls to the hospital for assistance and that hospital capacity is freed-up.
Highly commended:
Greater Midlands Cancer Network: The UKONS Oncology/Haematology - 24 hour triage - Rapid assessment and cccess tool kit
A 24 hour triage risk assessment tool that provides a robust framework which standardises and supports excellent practice, improves quality and safety and provides evidence of service provision. The tool kit has been piloted successfully in 35 hospital Trusts and is being rolled out across the UK.
Highly commended:
Pan Birmingham Cancer Network and Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust: Acute Oncology Service: Implementation of a nurse led, integrated acute oncology service
Sandwell and Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest teaching hospitals in the UK with an estimated 650 acute oncology emergency admissions a year. This led to the implementation of a nurse led ‘expert in house service’ to meet the needs of local cancer patients, in particular those undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. It delivered improvements in emergency presentations through triaging and diagnosing and treating metastatic spinal cord compression patients.
Commended:
Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Network: FACTS (Fast Access to Cancer Treatment Support) - Raising awareness of acute oncology emergencies for patients and healthcare professionals
Initiative developed across the Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Network to raise awareness among patients and healthcare professional of signs and symptoms of oncology emergencies via the FACTS website and eLearning resources. The aim of the project is to develop a network wide patient and health professional toolkit as a resource.
Category: Cancer Professional of the Year
Winner:
Jan Temenos
Winner for her work on The Acorn Approach – an educational initiative introduced at Oakhaven Hospice with the aim of changing attitudes to death and dying by bringing schools and the local hospice together to promote a healthier understanding of palliative care. The bringing together of the hospice and schools means that pupils, teachers, patients, carers, hospice staff and volunteers as a team produce tangible and creative outcomes.
Category: Cancer Team of the Year
Winner:
Velindre Cancer Centre: SCIF - the Significant Clinical Incident Forum
A novel multi-professional group that investigates clinical incidents and untoward clinical outcomes that aim to disseminate learning as widely as possible. SCIF has worked with colleagues in primary and secondary care across the Cancer Network, developed links with local GPs regarding assessment of chemotherpay patients in the community and created local guidelines for GPs in this area.
Highly commended:
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: eBooking - An Electronic Patient Referral System in Radiotherapy
Sucessful implementation of a fully integrated electronic referral system that has customised existing software with other hospital systems. The new system is a cost-neutral project which has completely replaced paper-based referral and is deemed to increase efficiency and workflow modelling.
Commended:
The Oxford Head and Neck Cancer Multidisciplinary Team, Oxford University Hospitals (NHS) Trust: To provide and implement evidence-based clinical guidelines on appropriate post-operative enteral tube feeding routes following head and neck cancer surgery
Collection of data for 150 head and neck cancer surgery patients to find and recommend appropriate tube feeding routes following head and neck cancer surgery. Two data sets showed a reduction in the number of patients tube fed for more than four weeks and demonstrated an improvement in clinical guidance.
Category: Cancer Journalist or Blogger of the Year
Winner:
Linda Geddes, awarded for her special report Underfunded, Undertreated on stigma against patients with lung cancer, published in New Scientist. Since the piece was published in late June, Linda has been thanked by some of the researchers she interviewed for trying to raise awareness on this issue.
Highly commended:
Mike Baker, a former BBC correspondent was highly commended for his cancer blog, blending personal experience with a balanced and thoroughly researched analysis of issues surrounding lung cancer.
Commended:
Sarah Swain has led a campaign for the past six month called Clear the Air in conjunction with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire. As a senior reporter at The Evening Times, Sarah decided to write about her own personal experience of lung cancer which saw calls to NHS Smokeline increase.
Category: Cancer Charity Initiative of the Year
Winner:
Bristol Testicular Cancer Service, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust: It’s in the Bag: Supporting men with testicular cancer in the South West
It’s in the Bag charity fund, a part of Above & Beyond aim to raise awareness, money and support and celebrate survival for men with testicular cancer. Some £144,000 has been raised to fund, develop and organise clinical service improvements, patient information, survival strategies and support initiatives to continue helping patients and their families.
Highly commended:
The Brain Tumour Charity: HeadSmart: Be brain tumour aware
A national campaign raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of brain tumours in children and young people among the public and health professionals. HeadSmart developed resources for public and professional use, including pocket sized symptom cards, a decision support website and an online health professional training package. These materials have seen the average time to diagnosing being reduced from 9.3 weeks pre-launch to 7.5 weeks, currently.
Commended:
Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre: Working collaboratively to improve patients’ experience: Pre-chemotherapy group sessions
The team developed pre-chemotherapy sessions in a group setting to provide support for patients and their carers before they start their chemotherapy treatment. Feedback received was that the information was excellent and provided in friendly, comfortable surroundings.
Category: Reducing Cancer Inequality Initiative
Winner:
Cheshire and Merseyside Clinical Networks, Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Network: Development and implementation of an anticipatory care calendar for people with learning disabilities or dementia
A tool to overcome barriers preventing people with learning disabilities and dementia accessing health services which is supported by a website. The tool is saving lives, improving care and has changed the way social care staff view health.
Highly commended:
The Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre, St James’s University Hospital: Development of the Hair Loss Support Service
A unique hair loss support service for cancer patients which launched in 2001 and improved provision to the BME community. An electronic catalogue was developed to specifically for the Leeds Cancer Centre which included a diverse range of wigs that improved appeal and acceptance to audiences.
Category: Cancer Commissioning Award
Winner:
Pan Birmingham Cancer Network: Herceptin at Home – A shared care model delivering patient choice and efficiency