Making it happen
The service focussed on improving support for men post treatment, particularly post radiotherapy, by creating:
- A nurse led clinic that provided follow-up support, including the completion of Holistic Needs Assessments, for all patients who receive radical radiotherapy.
- A telephone clinic to support men who underwent surgery or brachytherapy at home 2-3 days after discharge from hospital.
These services ensured men could access advice and support in a timely manner which is appropriate to their patient journey.
To assess effectiveness of the new service, the project initially involved completing an audit of the existing service and undertaking a postal survey of men who had undergone external beam radiotherapy from April 2012 - March 2013. A regular CNS clinic was then set up for patients who were six weeks post treatment. Each appointment was scheduled for 30 minutes and an oncologist was available for advice if needed. After six months the new service was audited.