Improving our cancer care, supporting the new National Cancer Plan
Responding to the publication today of the National Cancer Plan, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Chief Executive, Professor Tim Orchard, said:
“We very much welcome this renewed, national commitment to improving cancer care and outcomes for everyone. Our own cancer care improvement programme is closely aligned with the priorities set out in the Plan. Having begun in 2024, with an initial phase of engagement and co-design with patients, carers and staff, we are getting ready to roll out a range of new developments over the next few months.”
“It was feedback from patients and carers that led to us launch the programme in the first place. While our waiting times for diagnosis and treatment are significantly improved, and we have a strong research and specialist focus across our cancer services, too many patients were telling us that they felt unsupported and uninvolved in their care.
“By understanding more about the experience of our patients and their families, as well as of our staff and partners, we have been able to prioritise three key areas for action: re-designing services to be more joined-up, responsive and compassionate; overhauling our approach to patient communications and information; and creating better care environments.” As we roll out the developments arising from the programme, in collaboration with our patients and partners, I am confident we will be able to make a significant contribution to the delivery of the National Cancer Plan.”
Our cancer care improvement programme
Across our five hospitals, we are one of the NHS’s busiest cancer centres. We also run hundreds of clinical trials within our cancer services, in areas such as early detection, personalised medicine, immunotherapy and cancer vaccines. The size and breadth of our offer, alongside a rapid increase in demand, has led to a range of challenges that we are now tackling systematically, drawing on the insight and expertise of patients and carers as well as our partners and staff.
We have analysed huge quantities of complaints, patient feedback and operational data, undertaken detailed pathway mapping for all our cancer services, and engaged directly with more than 300 patients, carers and staff.
We have prioritised three key areas for action:
- re-designing services to be more joined-up, responsive and compassionate
- ·overhauling our approach to patient communications and information
- creating better care environments.
We are planning three major developments this year:
- A new, cancer care telephone and digital contact service. Staffed by an expanded team of care navigators and linking directly to our clinical nurse specialists, the service will resolve questions and issues, provide advice and signpost dedicated support for patients, from pre-diagnosis to post-treatment six days a week (Mon – Sat).
- The first outputs from a systematic review of patient information for end-to-end cancer care pathways, including communications via text, digital app and email, and building in responsiveness to a wide range of accessibility needs and preferences.
- An expansion and reshaping of our cancer workforce, with a business case nearing completion for a major investment in, initially, clinical nurse specialists and cancer care support workers, to be followed by an increase in allied health professionals and doctors.
We are working up more major developments in cancer care to follow, including plans to expand our research capacity and make it easier for patients to understand and access potential new treatments and other innovations and a new approach to ‘customer care’, including tailored training and support for staff and re-designed care spaces.
We are also making smaller, more immediate improvements.
So far, these have included:
- Investment in a specialist mole mapping kit to help detect skins cancers earlier.
- Refurbishment of the head and neck clinic outpatient areas to ensure privacy and dignity.
And, currently in train:
- Creation of a dedicated teenage and young adult cancer care room at Charing Cross Hospital, enabling parents and carers to stay overnight when needed.
- Creation of purpose-designed spaces within clinical areas at Charing Cross Hospital where patients can have in depth discussions with clinical nurse specialists about their diagnosis and treatment options.
You can read the full National Cancer Plan for England here.
