Chemotherapy nurses introduce pioneering service to treat patients at work

PATIENTS are benefitting from a pioneering service that allows them to receive treatment for cancer in their workplace. The service is delivered by nurses from The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Merseyside; 1 of the UK's leading networked cancer centres.

The initiative was launched earlier this year as part of Clatterbridge in the Community, which has been running for more than 3 years, and already sees suitable patients being treated at home with chemotherapy and other treatments. The extension into the work place involves a highly trained specialist chemotherapy nurse from the cancer centre visiting the patient and delivering their cancer treatment in a safe and suitable area.

Frances Yip, General Manager for Chemotherapy services at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, said:- "Our aim is to make the treatment journey as smooth as possible for all of our patients. Getting back to work is a really important part of this journey for many of our patients and we want to do everything we can to help them do that while they are still receiving vital treatment in a safe and comfortable environment. For some patients it can be a struggle and extra stress travelling to our clinics for treatment, particularly if they are back at work. Treatment at work is a great way to avoid that stress and help people continue their treatment and combine it with their lives in a stress free way. We are still in the early phases and currently only offer this service to suitable patients receiving Herceptin (trastuzumab) or other treatments that delivered by sub cut injection."

Gerry Williams, 53, from Mossley Hill in Liverpool, was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2017. She had a course of chemotherapy before a lumpectomy and then radiotherapy. Gerry was keen to get back to normal as soon as she could and that included her work as a senior librarian for children and young people in Knowsley. So she was only too keen when she was offered the chance to get Herceptin injections at work.

Gerry said:- "I think the service is a good idea and I was very keen to get my treatment at work once I was ready to do so. My employers were really pleased and adamant I should do it. There were some checks with my line manager but my colleagues have been aware of what is happening all the way through my treatment and were really supportive of this next step. I think the main advantage is it doesn't take you away from your normal day and stops you feeling like a patient. We spend so much time in the Hospital with various appointments that this is a nice way of letting go of being in the Hospital and feeling yourself again."

Glen Crisp from Warrington received her Herceptin injections at MandJ Seafood in Birchwood, Warrington, where she works in accounts.

Glen, 50, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2017, said:- "My employers have been brilliant all the way through my treatment and were only too happy to help when I asked about getting treatment at work. It is great as I could get back to work straight after my injection whereas I used to lose a whole day every time I had to have treatment. It really helped make life normal again."

The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre delivers more than 55,000 outpatient chemotherapy treatments every year, including those delivered in the community and at our nurse-led clinics held in 7 district general Hospitals across Merseyside and Cheshire, making this 1 of the most comprehensive networks of chemotherapy clinics in the UK.

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Tony, flying the flag for our Southport Nursing Associates

TONY Carson, a trainee Nursing Associate at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital and Edge Hill University, has been recognised and praised for his incredible dedication and caring nature. Tony is halfway through a 2 year apprenticeship to become a nursing associate. This new role is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and bridges the gap between healthcare support workers, assistant practitioners and registered nurses.

Previous patient and Hospital consultant Douglas Hammond felt compelled to write a letter to Edge Hill University to explain why Tony's care stands out: "Tony is an absolute credit to the organisation, he has the best interpersonal skills and he truly understands what it means to care. By a quirk of fate, he looked after me when I was fairly unwell in February, and is looking after my mother on the ward where she has had a stroke. In a world where people criticise frequently, it's nice to give positive feedback."

Tony has been working at the Trust for 14 years after leaving his job in a care home to join as a health care assistant in 2004. His colleagues and senior nursing staff encouraged him to train to become a nursing associate.

He explains:- "It's such a privilege to be able to make a positive impact on patients during their stay. We know it can be a worrying, stressful time, so if people feel cared for then we know we have done our job. I have been training since March 2017 and as part of that I attend Edge Hill 1 day a week. The rest of the time I nurse, which for me is ideal; spending time with patients is what I love about the job. This means I am earning a wage whilst training, rather than spending years at university full time. For me, this is a fantastic route into nursing, with many opportunities for career progression within the NHS."

Nicky Williams, Corporate Lead for Clinical Education and Training agrees:- "The nursing associate role is a fabulous opportunity for the Trust to invest in and develop our workforce. Apprentices follow a 2 year, work based learning programme. Successful theory and practice hours, along with a final assessment, will see the emergence of a successful nursing associate. We are incredibly proud of Tony and all our trainees. They are excellent ambassadors for our Hospitals and Edge Hill University. We look forward to the celebrations as our first cohort qualifies in March 2019."

For anyone interested in training to become a nursing associate, visit here.