Hospital news
Meeting holistic needs
Mr Kelvin Ramsey in theatre and in shooting action (below)
Sutton to get new West Wing clinical research facility
Funding has been approved to create a new clinical research facility at Sutton. The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity will fund the £2.6-million project, which will provide a dedicated space for patients participating in clinical trials. In particular, the unit will increase the opportunities for translating early-phase studies conducted in the Drug Development Unit into late-phase research. “This new unit will enable the transition of earlyresearch findings into largescale trials, which is integral to our National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre’s strategy,” said Professor David Cunningham, Director of Clinical Research. “The facility will increase the amount of research we can do and improve efficiency. Although the unit will be an innovative space, it will also be a very comfortable environment for patients.” The unit will be located in the West Wing of the hospital and will be open by the end of the year.
GB rifle record for surgeon r Kelvin Ramsey, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at The Royal Marsden, was part of the eight-strong GB long-range rifle shooting team competing in last year’s historic North America series. In their last match against the US and Canada, the team scored a record-breaking 150/150. “As well as winning against America and Canada, we broke a world record – eight members of the team scoring full marks has never been done before,” said Kelvin. Selected for Great Britain Cadets at 18, and captain of Cambridge University’s team (earning a blue in the process), Kelvin has since travelled the world representing different England and GB rifle teams. “Shortly after joining The Royal Marsden, I went to
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the World Long Range Rifle Championships in Australia. The GB team won, so we’re currently world champions, which is fantastic.” Kelvin now has his sights set on the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia. “It’s only a team of two at the Commonwealth Games, so I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me,” he said. “It’s difficult to combine my work at The Royal Marsden with training and competing, but you can’t turn down the chance to represent your country.”
A new assessment is being launched to help ensure a good patient experience at The Royal Marsden. The holistic needs assessment is part of an initiative from the Department of Health and National Cancer Action Team (NCAT), and incorporates a person’s physical, psychological, social, spiritual and financial wellbeing. Following an extensive service evaluation, a holistic needs assessment will be offered as part of every cancer patient’s care. Initially, the assessment will be carried out following diagnosis and on completion of primary treatment. “Holistic needs assessments could make a huge difference to patients’ overall experience with the potential to improve outcomes by identifying and resolving concerns quickly,” said Natalie Doyle, Nurse Consultant, Living With and Beyond Cancer. “Undertaking a holistic needs assessment will enable a patient to work with healthcare professionals to address their concerns. It should help the individual to take greater control of what happens to them and support them to self-manage their condition. By giving patients the opportunity to identify their concerns, teams will be able to develop a care plan that is tailored to an individual’s needs.”
RM magazine 11
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14/02/2013 15:38