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Cancer Services (cancer + services)
Selected AbstractsImproving Cancer Services Through Patient InvolvementHEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 3 2004Clara Mackay No abstract is available for this article. [source] Head and neck cancer in the UK: what is expected of cytopathology?CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2 2009G. Kocjan Objective:, This review highlights the role of cytopathology in cancer management within UK Head and Neck Cancer Networks and informs on the issues raised by recent UK Department of Health documents and other UK professional guidance. UK guidance requires the formal involvement of cytopathologists within multidisciplinary cancer teams, with medical and non-medical cytopathology staff setting up and running rapid access lump clinics, and support for image-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) services. UK guidance also makes recommendations for training, resources and quality control. This review also highlights the resource gap between best practice evidence-based guidance for head and neck (HN) cancer services and existing UK provision for cytopathology, as evidenced by lack of availability of experienced staff and adequacy of training and quality control (QC). Finally, it stresses the importance in the UK of the Royal College of Pathologists' guidance, which defines the need for training, the experience needed for new consultants, the requirements for audit and QC. The implications for the additional resources required for HN cancer cytopathology services are discussed. Recent professional guidance specifying the provision of HN cancer services in the UK includes a cytopathology service for cancer networks, such as rapid access FNAC clinics. Although these clinics already operate in some institutions, there are many institutions where they do not and where the provision of cytopathology services would have to be restructured. This would need the support of local cancer networks and their acceptance of the detailed requirements for cytopathology, including resources, training and QC. The standards are not defined locally, as Strategic Health Authorities and Primary Care Trusts have been instructed by the Department of Health to support, invest and implement them. [source] Cervical screening policies 2008 and beyondCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2007R. Winder There are many developments in cytology and in the NHS that will impact on the NHS Cervical Screening Programme over the next few years. In the short term HPV is a major issue, whether triage, primary screening or vaccination with further evidence coming forward from NHS early implementers and from research trials. Cytology automation is also already being trialled for the UK. So far as NHS developments go, we already have the two Carter reports, one on pathology modernisation and one on commissioning are both likely to impact on our service, as is the forthcoming Cancer Reform Strategy which should be out in a few months time. This will set out a blue print for cancer services in 2012, by which time the cervical screening programme could have a very different shape. [source] Access to cancer services , do culture and ethnicity make a difference?EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 1 2009ROSE THOMPSON dcrt Abstract This module discusses the diverse cultural needs of people affected by cancer and how those needs can be assessed and met. The UK experience with Black or Minority Ethnic (BME) communities will be used to explore the issues of awareness of and detection of cancer. [source] Cancer patients' satisfaction with communication, information and quality of care in a UK regionEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 1 2005R. DAVIDSON bsc, abps. consultant clinical psychologist , dphil., msc (clin. psych.) Effective patient,professional communication can be of crucial importance to long-term psycho-social outcomes in patients with cancer. This study identifies patient satisfaction with regard to various aspects of communication and perceived quality of care. A well-validated questionnaire was administered to 435 cancer patients throughout Northern Ireland during a 3-month period. Northern Ireland can be regarded as a typical UK region in terms of cancer service configuration. The cohort consisted of patients with breast, colorectal, lung, prostate, gynaecological and gastric cancers. There was a 78% response rate. Satisfaction scores were individually calculated for various aspects of care, particularly diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and overall care. Non-parametric analysis examined the interaction between satisfaction scores and primary tumour site, age and gender. While overall satisfaction scores were relatively high, there was considerable variation. Of particular note was the interaction between perceived satisfaction and quality of care, communication, tumour site and age. Key findings are that there are a number of issues with regard to information and communication which can be clearly improved within Northern Ireland cancer services. The paper concludes that patient,professional communication should be tailored to meet individual need. [source] Provision of oncology services in remote rural areas: a Scottish perspectiveEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 2 2004S.M. SMITH research assistant There is a paucity of research into rural health care services. In particular little is known about the provision of specialist cancer services for patients who live in remote rural areas of the UK. This study set out to investigate current models of medical and clinical oncology care in Scotland. A national survey with key health professionals was conducted to identify rural oncology schemes currently in operation. Detailed quantitative data about the schemes together with qualitative data on how health professionals view current models of care were collected by a computer-assisted telephone survey. Schemes that currently provide outpatient and chemotherapy oncology services for remote rural patients fell into three categories: central clinics (5); shared care outreach clinics with chemotherapy provision (11); and shared care outreach clinics without chemotherapy provision (7). All radiotherapy was conducted at central clinics (5). Widely varying practices in delivery of cancer care were found across the country. The main issues for professionals about current models of care involved expertise, travelling and accessibility (for patients), communication and expansion of the rural service. Nation-wide consistency in cancer care has still to be achieved. Travelling for treatment was seen to take its toll on all patients but particularly for the very remote, elderly and poor. Most professionals believe that an expansion of rural services would be of benefit to these patients. It is clear, however, that the proper infrastructure needs to be in place in terms of local expertise, ensured quality of care, and good communication links with cancer centres before this could happen. [source] An evaluation of a cancer counselling serviceEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 4 2000M. Boudioni The CancerBACUP London Counselling Service offered short-term face-to-face counselling to self-referred cancer patients and their relatives and friends, provided by experienced supervised counsellors working within a humanistic theoretical framework. This study aimed to identify its clients' characteristics, use of the service, extent of perceived benefits and satisfaction with the service. Socio-demographic data were collected in Data Sheets from all 384 clients who booked an appointment over 18 months; they were predominantly female, < 50 years old and from non-manual social classes. Significantly more people in those classes and in the 30,59 age group attended three or more sessions. Three hundred and nine clients who attended at least once were sent an Evaluation Form; 142 responded. The probability of the Evaluation Forms' return was greater for those who had completed more sessions; the great majority of respondents felt that they had benefited, and were satisfied with the service. This study, notwithstanding its limitations, shows that a short course of counselling may be perceived by clients to be helpful; it also raises other issues of value to those involved in cancer services and/or counselling provision. [source] Calman,Hine reassessed: a survey of cancer network development in England, 1999,2000JOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 3 2002Beth Kewell BA PhD Abstract Rationale, aims and objectives,The paper assesses preliminary national data on the development of cancer care networks in England. Methods,In January 2000, a national postal survey was sent to lead clinicians at 36 cancer centres and associate centres. Respondents were asked to provide basic numerical data on the design of the network (i.e. its configuration), detailing how many units it encompassed, and whether the centre was a multiple or a single entity. Results,The survey highlighted national variations in the size and configuration of networks. The survey also highlighted tentative signs of shifts in clinical practice. The results showed that consultants at cancer centres and units were engaging in two forms of collaboration across centre,unit boundaries. Type 1 involved routine multidisciplinary team (MDT) outreach from centres to units, incorporating joint planning between clinicians at cancer centres and cancer units. Type 2 collaboration involved joint planning but also promoted joint centre and unit training and continuing professional development (CPD) programmes. Conclusions,In our estimation, both forms of collaboration represented early evidence of qualitative changes in medical working practices. Organizational changes within cancer services have moved swiftly since initial soundings were taken in 2000 and we update our initial commentary in the light of recent empirical data. The findings may be of wider significance to managers and health practitioners who are working towards the implementation of delivery network elsewhere in the UK National Health Service. [source] Socio-economic status and patterns of care in lung cancerAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 4 2005Andrew C. Hui Objective: This retrospective study aims to explore the associations between socio-economic factors and lung cancer management and outcomes in the Australian setting. Methods: The study population consisted of patients who were living in the Northern Sydney Area Health Service (NSAHS) or South Western Sydney Area Health Service (SWSAHS) at the time of their lung cancer diagnosis in 1996. Data on patient demographics, tumour characteristics, management details, recurrence and survival were collected and compared between the two areas. Socio-economic status indicators of the two Area Health Services were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Results: There were 270 and 256 new cases of lung cancer identified in NSAHS and SWSAHS respectively. Patients in NSAHS were slightly older and there were more women. Based on the 1996 Census data, the population of NSAHS is more affluent, better educated and more likely to be employed compared with SWSAHS. The stage distributions and performance status of the two areas were similar. The utilisation rates of different treatment modalities in the two areas were similar except for chemotherapy. The five-year overall survival rate was 10.5% in NSAHS and 7.2% in SWSAHS (p=0.08). Comparison based on the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage did not reveal significant differences. Conclusion: Patients with lung cancer had similar patterns of care and survival despite differences in socio-economic profiles between the two Area Health Services. Implication: There seems to be equity of access to lung cancer services between the two Area Health Services. [source] |