Special results clinic for cancer patients at KGH is being held up as an area of national ‘good practice’ Date: 20.04.12

A special results clinic for cancer patients at Kettering General Hospital is being held up as an area of national ‘good practice’ following a National Peer Review.

In January 2012 a Urology Service National Peer Review Team visited KGH and, as part of its review, looked at the urology oncology results clinic.

The review found that the KGH ‘results clinic’ concept should be recommended as an example of national good practice in how to look after patients at the time when they are first told they have cancer.

KGH Urology Cancer Lead Clinician, Mr Mo Al-Sudani, said: “Each year we have about 385 new urology cancer diagnoses – this means that urological cancers are the most common cancers dealt with by the medical and surgical specialties in the hospital.

“They include things like prostate, kidney, bladder and testes cancers.

“About 18 months ago we created the urology oncology results clinics because we felt it was inappropriate to be breaking bad news to patients in the context of routine – and normally busy - urology outpatients’ clinics.

“So we set up the specialist clinic in a quiet room in the Treatment Centre where patients who have just received their cancer diagnosis can be seen in a small clinic by a consultant and a cancer nurse specialist.

“This means we are able to discuss the diagnosis, further investigations, possible courses of treatment and give them information about their condition and what to expect.”

Grandfather Jonathan Mack, 69, from Corby, visited the results clinic when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the end of last year. He said: “I was very impressed. You speak to both the consultant and the nurse specialists and they are both very supportive. “Together they give you the full picture of what is happening and what your tests mean to you and what will happen next in terms of treatment.

Mr Mack, a former metallurgist and physics teacher, added: “Also if you have any practical problems the nurses are very good at sorting it out for you and they are always there for you.”

Urology oncology clinical nurse specialist, Rachel Hooper, said: “It is a big benefit for patients to see both a consultant and a nurse specialist at these clinics. It helps them to get all the appropriate information and support at what can be a very distressing time for a family.

“In addition to asking questions, and being given explanations about their personal issue, we also give them information packs to take away which signposts them to all kinds of ongoing support.”