The Look, March 2017

the

Look March 2017

For Southend University Hospital staff & volunteers

Triple shortlist

Improvement

Radiotherapy

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Page 5

Page 6

Trust shortlisted for trio of prestigious awards.

Two staff take part in Improvement Fellowship.

International best practice recognised.

CQC undertake inspection

CEO ranked highly

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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection team arrived here at Southend on Thursday 9 February to undertake an unannounced inspection.

18 inspectors were on site looking at the Acute Pathway and assessing whether our services are safe, effective, caring, responsive and wellled.

The inspection won’t lead to a new rating, but it does give us some insight into our progress since the previous inspection in January 2016.

Managing Director, Yvonne Blücher, said: “The team commented on the welcoming and open attitude of our staff which is a credit to all of our staff as I, and the CQC team, appreciated the sustained pressure we are experiencing. The inspectors were also assured that we are continuing to provide a safe and caring environment for our patients.”

The inspection team provided informal feedback at the end of their inspection and noted the ‘really good teamwork’ displayed by staff in the Emergency Department, along with the ‘fantastic motivation

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n CEO Clare Panniker

n CQC feedback expected during April.

and great holistic service’ provided by the ESAC team.

While there are some issues that need to be addressed, no immediate actions were required.

Official feedback is expected during April and the CQC are expected to undertake a full inspection later in the year.

Yvonne concluded: “While there are some areas that require some attention, the positive comments we received from the inspection team do outweigh the negatives and this is a reflection of the continued

hard work that staff have undertaken since the formal inspection a year ago.

“I firmly believe that if we continue to build on the way we have been working since the beginning of the year - and really reflect on how much we have achieved by working in a different way we can challenge the status quo and really change the way we work for the better.”

Further information about the inspection, including the staff presentation, is available on STAFFnet by searching “CQC”.

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Chief Executive, Clare Panniker, has been ranked fourth out of the top 50 NHS leaders in England.

The leading publication, Health Service Journal (HSJ), rated chief executives for their achievements in challenging times.

Clare joined Basildon Hospital in September 2012 and was appointed Chief Executive of Mid Essex Hospital Trust in April 2016 and of Southend Hospital in January this year.

According to the HSJ analysis, one of the standout trends to emerge from this year’s ranking was how top NHS leaders are increasingly running more than one organisation.

The chief executives were judged on three main criteria: performance of their trust, their contribution to the wider health economy or the NHS, and their personal example.

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Easing the strain on our junior doctors

The hospital has introduced a new team called Hospital Out of Hours (HOOH) to enhance patient safety by supporting the multi-professional teams working out of hours.

Led by Rhona Hayden

(Lead Nurse for the Critical Care Outreach Team and Clinical Lead Nervecentre Project), and supported by senior nurses, the team has created a doctors’ task book to enable nurses to request

and record non-urgent tasks.

Previously, junior doctors were getting up to 100 bleeps per night and were missing out on essential breaks and recuperation time. With the support of the HOOH team bleeps have been substantially reduced to around 30 per night with the HOOH nurse dealing with less urgent calls.

Rhona said: “The service aims to ensure the right person with the right skills responds to patients’ needs in the appropriate time.

This is enhanced by the Nervecentre technology to coordinate tasks and functions of teams working out of hours.”

Jane Reeve, General Manager, Theatres and of Critical Care, added: The HOOH project has been a

springboard for other quality improvement initiatives including the introduction of multidisciplinary electronic handover that is patientbased as opposed to paperbased ward handover.

Another project about to start is the development of HOOH guides. Initially for the medical team, the guides will form the basis for HOOH guides that can be used by all.”

The HOOH team is aiming to cover seven nights per week by April.

“Previously, junior doctors were getting up to 100 bleeps per night.”

Gout busters

n Group image (l-r): Viji George, Clinical Trial Nurse; Stuart Jacobs; Dr Gowrie Balasubramaniam, Consultant in Nephrology; Eunice Ndaba, Clinical Trial Nurse.

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I was in day care for an operation. Cannot fault nurses and staff for all their help. Thank you very much to the Daycare team.

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The Trust is part of a new pilot study to help make life better for sufferers of gout who also have kidney problems.

The Anakinra vs Steroids for Gout Attacks in People With Renal Disease (ASGARD) study, run by Anglia Ruskin University, compares steroids, the safest treatment currently available for acute gout attacks in patients with chronic kidney disease, with a new treatment called Anakinra.

Dr Gowrie Balasubramaniam, Consultant in Nephrology and Chief

Investigator of the trial, said: “The study is looking for at least 32 people, ideally in their 70s, who have some amount of kidney trouble.

The idea is that we want to reach and help those people suffering before it turns into permanent kidney damage in their 80s or 90s.”

One of those taking part in the trial is Stuart Jacobs, aged 80, from Westcliff, who has suffered with gout for the last ten years. It has had a huge impact on Mr Jacobs’ quality of life, so bad that at one stage he was unable to walk.

He is taking part in this pilot to help improve his quality of life without compromising his kidneys.

Mr Jacobs said: “What I’m trying to do is find a way of treating gout without affecting my kidneys. If I get an attack it could lead to something worse, so if I can do something that helps that would be great for both me and other sufferers.”

full story at : Read www.southend.nhs.uk

March 2017

n Left: Mr Venkat Raman (3rd from right), consultant obstetrics and gynaecology and project lead ERPO. n Right: Homecare team (l-r): Georgina Pharro, Tina Mccormack, Sarah Lewis.

Trust shortlisted for prestigious national awards The Health Service Journal (HSJ) has published its shortlisted finalists for the annual Value in Healthcare Awards and Southend University Hospital features in two categories.

Shortlisted in the category of ‘Obstetrics and Gynaecology’ is the enhanced recovery pathway in obstetrics (ERPO) led by Mr Venkat Raman, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist.

The maternity and anaesthetic teams launched the pathway in May 2015 with the aim of getting expectant mothers in excellent health during caesarean section to facilitate speedy recovery. This ensures that after delivery, mum and baby spend quality

time in their own home.

Mr Raman said: “The pathway has seen a reduction in pre-operative starving times, better management of pain relief, better prevention of nausea and vomiting following surgery, early mobilisation minimising complications such as DVT, shortened hospital stay and early discharge. All of this contributes to a better patient experience.”

Shortlisted in the category of ‘The Use of Information Technology To Drive Value in Clinical Services’ is the Peritoneal Dialysis Team managed by Sister Georgie Pharro. The hospital was the first in the country to use new remote access technology

with 100% of its peritoneal dialysis patients.

Previously a patient would visit hospital with a SIM card containing a month’s worth of data but with the new technology nurses can access and control patients’ machines and receive daily data without the patient ever needing to leave home. It also means potential problems can be picked up earlier and managed appropriately.

Sister Pharro said: “Patients who may have been tentative of doing dialysis themselves at home can be reassured that the nurses have a close eye on what is happening. Our elderly and frail patients can be monitored more closely.”

Impressively, Sister

Pharro’s team have also been shortlisted for a Renal Home Therapies Nurse of the Year award by the British Journal of Nursing. Winners of this award will be announced at a ceremony on 10 March.

The HSJ shortlisted parties will make a final presentation to judges at the end of March detailing why they should win and the results will be announced at a lavish ceremony at Grovesnor House, London on 24 May. The results will be published in the April issue of The Look so until then we congratulate everyone for being shortlisted, a great achievement in itself, and wish everyone good luck at the awards ceremonies.

Feeding Buddy scheme in running for Royal award The Feeding Buddy scheme at the hospital has been running for 10 years and has made an important and continued impact on the lives of patients and those who volunteer as part of the service.

Its importance has now been recognised so much that it’s in the running for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services.

The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Charles Clark and Kelly Clarke, Senior Community Advisor for Southend Council, visited the hospital recently as part of their assessment of the

“Special mention must go to Andrea Turner, Kitty Hubbard Ward Manager, who initiated the scheme a decade ago.”

Recipients of the prestigious award will be announced in April.

Feeding Buddy scheme.

Jane O’Connell, Voluntary Services Manager, said: “We’ve long shared the success of our Feeding Buddy scheme with other hospitals wanting to emulate our

success and it’s fantastic for everyone involved in this service to be recognised in this way.

“Even if we don’t win an award it’s an honour to have been in the running.

n Pictured (l-r): Abigail Neil, Feeding Buddy; Kelly Clarke, Senior Community Advisor for Southend Council; Kathleen Lewis, Feeding Buddy; Claire Buckell, Modern Matron; Charles Clark, The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Essex; Linda Kemp, Feeding Buddy; Andrea Turner, Kitty Hubbard Ward Manager.

Congratulations to the winners of the January staff lottery: 1st prize (£482.50): Nicola Sanderson (550); 2nd prize (£96.50): Angela Taylor (718), Cheryl Wiltshire (28); 3rd prize (£48.25): Julie Knuth (323), Tracy Keane (779), Janice Haysom (724), Katherine Chapman (439); 4th prize (£19.30): Teresa Samson (661), Charlotte Barry (488), Sue Hardy (179), Michelle Callan (865), Jane Mulreany (432).

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Service moves signal start of new medical model Change is on the horizon in the Medical Directorate as work starts to evaluate how services are delivered to improve patient flow through the hospital.

Led by Interim Clinical Director, Dr Caroline Howard, the team will be looking at ways to improve efficiency and reduce delays to enable patients to get the treatment they need faster and in the right place according to their condition.

This work will pave the way for some practical service changes over the next few months, the first of which was the successful relocation of our Acute Medical Service (formerly known as BAMS) and our Ambulatory Emergency Care Unit (AECU) over a two day period last

month.

The Acute Medical Service moved from Bedwell to Edmund Stone Ward, providing improved access for those patients with acute medical needs that require transfer to the area from the Emergency Department.

The AECU moved from

Estuary to Dowsett Ward and is now in the same location as the Trauma Assessment Centre (TAC). The unit will continue to provide same-day emergency care assessing, diagnosing and treating patients without the need to admit them to a hospital bed overnight.

The Older Peoples’ Acute Service (OPAS) remains on Estuary Ward and will continue to provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment as well as access to specialist inpatient beds, health care and social services for our elderly patients.

You can read more about new initiatives in the pipeline - including the introduction of the brand new buddy ward programme - in the first edition Medical Directorate newsletter which is available now.

“This work will pave the way for practical service changes over the next few months.”

New child-friendly menu for Neptune Ward A new child-friendly menu is proving to be a big hit with young patients and their families after being introduced at Neptune Ward.

The Greenacre Garden Menu has been launched by Medirest, the leading provider of catering and soft services to the NHS, to meet the specific requirements of young patients and their families to make meal-times more fun!

The menu offers a diverse

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range of child-friendly food alongside educational tray puzzles to entertain and educate young patients. Menu options include popular meals alongside snacks, sandwiches, soups and drinks. Options range from jacket potatoes with fillings to minced lamb hotpot, beef lasagne and tomato and cheese pasta.

Additional items include salad snack pots, garlic bread and a vegetable medley.

One patient who has already given the new menu the thumbs up is Ellise Warner, 14, from Benfleet.

She said: “The food is really tasty, there is a nice variety.”

A new interactive tray-mat also provides a range of great activities for varying age groups. This includes Sudoku puzzles, anagrams, a healthy eating crossword as well as word search, join the dots and spot the difference.

Ramune Jackauskiene, Patient Dining Manager from Medirest, the catering firm at the hospital, said: “Choice and flexibility is key and this menu is about providing fun and

healthy food that children like and enjoy. With a wide choice of hot and cold offers we’ve got something for everyone.

Sophie Dudley, Paediatric Assessment Unit Manager, added: “We are thrilled that the new Greenacre Garden Menu has been launched in our Neptune Ward. There is a wide variety of healthy choices that young patients find appealing. The feedback has already been very positive.”

Maxine Cartz, Dietitian for Medirest, said, “Our Greenacre Garden brand is

tailored to young children and teenagers meaning that patients of all ages can look forward to mealtimes – choosing their favourite homely, nutritious meals from a large menu.”

The Greenacre Garden offer focuses on the needs of children some of which is cooked using Medirest’s Steamplicity technology, an exclusive and unique cooking system which steam cooks fresh food, ensuring all the taste and vitality is maximised to deliver high quality, nutritious meals.

March 2017

Two staff take part in Improvement Fellows Programme The Improvement Fellows part in the programme Programme, which was who are from a range of established in 2016, aims to backgrounds; primary and create a network of people acute care, mental health who have the enthusiasm, and social services, junior motivation and doctors and GPs, capability to drive allied health improvement professionals within their and general organisations management. and professional Dr communities.

Balasubramaniam Dr Gowrie said: “I applied for Balasubramaniam, it from my work Consultant in with the UCLP Nephrology, and Patient Safety Dr Balasubramaniam James Currell, Collaborative General Manager for Acute Kidney for Medical Specialties Injury where Southend did and Acute Medicine, have a lot of work to improve been chosen to be part of outcome of people with the programme for 2017, acute kidney injury. I learnt which will help benefit their a lot from that process and departments and the Trust as wanted to build on that a whole. by applying to be a UCLP They join 38 people taking Improvement Fellow. I want

to consolidate my learning As part of the Mid and in quality improvement and South Essex Success Regime, then apply it to wider areas we must collaborate closely in the trust. It will also help to develop Southend's with the changes that will strengths whilst working with take place in our neighbouring the near future Trusts to provide with the Success sustainable, Regime.” high quality and James said: “By patient centred being part of this healthcare.” programme I will Throughout get the chance to the 12 month work with other Improvement Fellows across Fellows a wide range of Programme, James Currell NHS disciplines those taking and put into part will support practice tried and tested each other, their own improvement methods. organisations and others in “As a Southend resident delivering better results for and staff member this will patients and populations. help me to lead on positive Importantly, they will also change to benefit our better equip themselves fantastic hospital for the and their organisations to good of patients and staff. progressively improve.

New Trust logo as part of NHS brand revamp

Our Trust logo is getting a revamp as part of the new NHS Identity Policy.

The NHS Identity is one of the most cherished and recognised brands in the world. Patients and the public see the NHS as a single, national, unified service and expect and want the NHS Identity to be applied in a consistent and uniform way – it reassures them that they can rely on the quality of healthcare being provided wherever they access it.

Extensive research and engagement has been carried out to ensure the NHS Identity Policy is based on the views and requirements of patients, the public and stakeholders.

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One key finding revealed that patients want a single layout and format for the NHS logo, a change from the three different formats there are currently.

“NHS England’s research shows that patients and service users favour a logo that reflects the order of importance they place on each different component.

The new logo echoes this with the NHS lozenge first followed by the name of the organisation, then the type of organisation,” explains Carly Ross, Communications Manager.

“Every NHS organisation logo now has one consistent layout in a format that meets

accessibility guidelines and this reinforces the NHS Identity as a whole to our patients.”

Over the next 12 months our new logo will be gradually rolled out and will begin to appear on all printed literature such as posters and patient information leaflets, and also across our digital and online channels such as our website and social media pages.

Carly added: “To ensure there is no waste please use all remaining stocks of any printed items in your area, especially things like headed paper. Materials will be updated and stocks replenished centrally with

the new logo through Office Depot so there is no need to do anything differently.”

You can read more about how the use the new NHS logo in our Corporate Identity Guidelines which are available on STAFFnet.

If you need any further advice or assistance with any aspect of the hospital brand contact Carly on ext 6133 or by email.

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Radiotherapy department earns accreditation for its high standards The Department of Radiotherapy and Radiotherapy Physics has been accredited by CHKS for its processes and standards which meet international best practice standards. CHKS are a leading provider of healthcare intelligence and quality improvement services.

This accreditation means that the services are safe, reliable and of good quality, and also meet the high standards required by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), giving the Trust a huge seal of approval.

Its importance in helping give relatives and patients confidence that they are being given the best quality care was explained

by James Green, Head of Radiotherapy, who said: “‘We want to ensure that our patients receive world class

radiotherapy treatment and this shows that we absolutely deliver that to our patients.

“While our existing International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) accreditation ensures the quality of the Radiotherapy treatment itself, this extended accreditation from CHKS,

which includes CQC level compliance, ensures that the whole patient experience, from door to door, is at the highest level possible.”

CHKS uses an online system to record information about processes and standards which are submitted by the applicants. This allows

users to view comparative information between departments and services and to monitor performance, progress and compliance.

Once this information has been submitted the CHKS external team of surveyors carries out a final assessment.

Moyra Amess, Associate Director for Assurance and Accreditation at CHKS said: “The accreditation process requires dedication and commitment. Every organisation we make this award to has proved to our external assessors that its standards and processes meet international best practice standards. This is a significant achievement.” n Pictured: James Green with Beverely Fox, Advanced Practitioner.

Re:Action This regular column highlights how we, as a Trust, ensure our staff engagement is improved so that Southend University Hospital is in the top 20% of all trusts by the year 2020. Covering actions that are being taken, each column will focus on a specific theme from our corporate action plan.

We all know that it is vital to be focused on doing our part to deliver high quality patient care, and support

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and value our colleagues as we do this. With the current pressures facing the NHS, helping managers to develop their leadership skills is fundamental to maintaining this focus. This month’s Re-action focuses on a few of the changes in leadership development.

What’s new?

Yvonne Blücher recognised that there had been substantial change in nursing leadership positions over the past few years and support was required. So the Leading Better Care programme was designed specifically for matrons and ward managers. Led

by Cheryl Schwarz, Deputy

Chief Nurse, and Yvonne Brierley, Associate Chief Nurse for Quality Standards and Improvements, this is designed to provide the ‘head-space’ for senior nurses to learn from each other, improve selfawareness, discover best practice and ultimately take new ideas back to the wards.

Additionally, to start improving systems leadership across the NHS, particularly in this region, we are now providing a localised version of the Mary Seacole Programme, as originally delivered by the NHS Leadership Academy. The first groups have already started with more scheduled over the next two years.

Coming up The changes in leadership, arising in part from the Success Regime, have highlighted the need to provide leadership development for the newly appointed clinical leads.

Evan Flockhart is working to develop a flexible programme and is currently consulting with a wide range of people.

Want to know more?

Refer to the iLearn toolkits for the many online tools and resources that are now available to support leaders or contact one of the L&OD consultants – Evan Flockhart, Marion Cain or Nic Girvan.

March 2017

Shaping Southend’s future with apprenticeships With Apprenticeship Week taking place this month (6 – 10 March), we felt it was a great opportunity to highlight the Apprenticeship Levy, which means that all employers in England with a pay bill over £3m will be required to contribute 0.5 per cent of their pay bill each year to a digital governmentmanaged apprenticeship levy account.

The government will top this up by a further 10 per cent and employers – like Southend Hospital – can only use it for apprenticeship training, with unspent funds expiring after 24 months of being added to the account.

Opportunities for Southend Eileen Gallagher, Careers and Apprenticeships Manager said: “The Levy presents a real opportunity for the Trust to consider a training framework encompassing apprenticeships as a pathway to growing our own.

“To maximise the funds we need to extend beyond roles that have typically undertaken apprenticeships and identify other opportunities, in particular where starting higher and degree apprenticeships would benefit the Trust. To achieve this we are challenging and changing the mindset associated with apprenticeships.”

Employees Trust-wide can start an apprenticeship regardless of age and at any career stage – 73 per cent of Trust staff who commenced an apprenticeship in 2016 were aged 25 and over.

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OUR APPRENTICES This time last year there were only 23 apprentices, now there are 62 ranging from Business Administration, Customer Service, Clinical Healthcare Support and Healthcare Support Services. Ten young people have been directly recruited as apprentices into a variety of roles across the Trust.

Apprenticeships range from level 2-7 and are aligned to educational levels with many higher programmes including a foundation or bachelors/ master’s degree. From May 2017 levied funds can be used to fund a staff member to begin a second degree where substantive new learning can be evidenced.

There are a variety of occupational areas to choose from ranging from healthcare to business, finance, IT, facilities and leadership and management.

Apprenticeship opportunities introduced last year include the Higher Apprenticeship in Health (Assistant Practitioner), offering existing healthcare support workers a progression pathway funded via the levy.

Applications will open in April 2017.

In November 2016 the government announced the proposed creation of the nursing degree apprenticeship. Once approved it will enable existing staff and new recruits to train to become a graduate registered nurse via an apprentice route, with training costs paid via the Apprenticeship Levy. n Contact Eileen at eileen. gallagher@southend.nhs.uk to find out more about how the Trust has the potential to attract, develop and retain staff in line with workforce priorities.

Bethany Svanda Apprentice Booking Clerk, Neurology Department

Abbeygale Haynes Apprentice Administrator L&OD

Bethany started her apprenticeship at the hospital in July 2016 and is responsible for providing a comprehensive telephone booking service for the Neurophysiology department, following the Trust’s Medway computer guidelines and procedures for Outpatient attendances.

She said: “I’d seen a few apprenticeships advertised, but this one really stood out. Everyone here is so friendly and supportive in the department and I have really grown in confidence during my time here. My parents are really proud of me, I love my role and being a part of the NHS.” Of her apprentice, Lesley Peacock, Operational Service Manager in Neurology said: “Bethany has brought with her a freshness and enthusiasm to this role, she has a real keenness to learn and develop within the NHS.” Dr Lucy Coward, Consultant Neurologist, echoed what a great job Bethany is doing, commenting: “She’s enthusiastic, efficient and helpful .”

Abbeygale joined the Learning and Organisational Development team in November 2015, she said: “I achieved so much in my first year and supported the team in the planning and preparation of a variety of events, booking training rooms and updating training attendance records.”

Abbeygale has also supported colleagues in the wider HR team and covered reception duties at Britannia House. All of which has opened up further apprenticeship opportunities at the Trust as she explained: “I gained my Level 2 apprenticeship in Business Administration in December 2016 and have just progressed to the Level 3 apprenticeship at the Trust Executive Office, providing administration support to the Trust PAs and am really excited about my new role.”

“I achieved so much in my first year.” the Look 7

> STAFF NOTICES > Farewell to...

Gary Woodward

Farewell to Gary Woodward, Adult Safeguarding Lead, who leaves us after 24 years to take up the post of Adult Safeguarding Lead Nurse for the five Norfolk and Waveney CCGs. Gary started his NHS career in Pharmacy stores before becoming an HCA in the Emergency Department. Following this he made the move to nursing, qualifying as an adult nurse in 2000 and obtaining his paediatric nursing degree in 2003. As the years progressed Gary held various posts on our medical wards, including stints as Ward Manager on Westcliff and Balmoral Wards, and in 2009 he became the Trust’s first Adult Safeguarding Lead. The rest, as they say, is history. Gary has been an integral part of the Southend team and we wish him all the very best in his new role.

> Farewell to...

Elaine Kellard Elaine started at Southend Hospital back in August 1999 and will retire from her position as Ward Clerk on Westcliff Ward in April. Her occupation before that was as a painter and decorator where one of her most satisfying jobs was to paint the Southend Women’s Refuge headquarters. She wants it known that she has hung up her brushes for good so do not ask her for a quote, although her main hobby is painting landscapes in water colours. Her plans after retirement are to spend more time at her home in Spain which is near where her son and grandchildren live.

> Farewell to...

Mary Burton Mary is looking forward to retiring from her position as a Ward Clerk on Westcliff Ward in April although her intention is to sign on the bank. Before joining Southend Hospital in January 2001 she was a child minder for 8 years and before that worked for a shipping company in London. Retirement will kick off with a leisurely holiday in Cyprus with her husband before spending more time with her grandchildren, croqueting for charity, and helping out with the scouts where she is a beaver leader.

> DIARY DATES > Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and the Gynae/ Oncology CNS team are holding an awareness session on Monday 13 March from 10:30 – 13:00 in the Education Centre, Exhibition Area.

8 the Look

CLOSER LOOK helenA grout Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) and Sarcoma Clinical Nurse Specialist Tell us about yourself?

I have worked in oncology for over 10 years having previously worked in a Chemotherapy Unit in Chelmsford and joined the Trust in 2009, working on Elizabeth Loury ward for four years. I then became the Oncology and Haematology Outpatients Sister where I gained experience in radiotherapy and a better understanding of the patients’ cancer pathway.

What is CUP? This is cancer that is diagnosed but the primary site cannot be found either through scans or from histology - the study of cells and tissues. Another name used for CUP is malignancy of unknown origin (MUO).This is generally used for malignancy detected on a scan before a biopsy or if a patient is too unwell for biopsy but has evidence of cancer.

The primary cancer may not be located because it is too small to detect on a scan, it may have been destroyed by the immune system with the secondary sites remaining, or may have left the body.

What does your job involve?

I’ve been called a ‘cancer detective’ and my role has been created to be the keyworker for groups of patients with unknown cancer diagnosis. I am involved in advising clinicians on the type of investigations to perform and suitable areas to biopsy and provide patients and carers with information, advice and support about diagnosis, treatment, palliative care and psychosocial concerns.

As a member of the multidisciplinary team I’m the patient’s advocate at meetings and liaise with GPs and community services ensuring continuity of care. I am keen for clinicians to refer patients to the CUP team early in their pathway to help advise staff on how to best to support their patients.

What are the best bits about your job?

Being instrumental in setting up a new service is so exciting. I enjoy a challenge, trying to solve a mystery, and investigating the possibilities of a primary source. Being able to support patients, carers and clinicians to improve patient experience through an uncertain time is very rewarding. The role sends me all over the hospital and gives me the opportunity to work with many people.

March 2017