Helping cancer patients recover from ill health

Winner

Personalised Patient Experience Tracker: innovative use of patient experience to enhance postoperative recovery of gynae-oncology patients after surgery

by Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The Enhanced Recovery Programme is an evidence-based peri-operative form of care for surgical patients. It is intended to develop the fitness of patients and help them recover faster from surgery. The team reviewed existing obstacles by tracking patient’s daily experiences during their in-patient stay with a hand-held tablet ‘patient experience tracker’.

The main obstacles identified were the lack of pre-operative patient information and preparation, and post-operative management. Analgesia guidelines have been written to improve transitional analgesia, particularly once infusions end after 24-48 hours.

A six-month audit showed significant improvement and the patient experience project was repeated at 12 months. The median length of stay reduced from seven days to four for abdominal hysterectomy and daily well-being scores demonstrated an enhanced recovery.

 

Judges’ comments

“An impressive multi-disciplinary team approach and a well thought-out initiative demonstrating significant improvements in peri-operative care”

 

Commended

Implementing an Acute Oncology Service at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

by Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust launched the Acute Oncology Team (AOT) dedicated to providing timely, accessible, individualised care to people with acute oncological emergencies, either following active treatment, the disease process, or as a result of previously undiagnosed cancer.

An emergency telephone line was set up to provide a triage of all emergency calls, and an acute oncology patient pathway has been developed to streamline patient flow and ensure the most appropriate outcome is reached swiftly. Data analysis shows that calls to the AOT have more than doubled in five months and the centre achieved 100 per cent of its target of IV antibiotics being administered within 60 minutes of the patient presenting to the hospital.

Patient care has become streamlined and slick, supported by a dedicated nursing and medical team.

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