A “FANTASTIC” pioneering one-stop clinic which eases suffering of cancer patients has been shortlisted for a national award.
The rapid access multidisciplinary palliative assessment and radiotherapy treatment clinic – known as Rampart – at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust has been shortlisted for the 2018 Health Service Journal award for acute or specialist services redesign.
Rampart enables patients to receive access to a range of specialists in a half-day visit which would previously have required multiple appointments over many weeks.
As part of the novel project, which is led by Dr Paul Fenton, a consultant clinical oncologist at UHS, patients now receive assessments from oncology, radiotherapy and palliative medicine.
“Rampart ensures patients are seen and have their pain and other symptoms addressed as promptly as possible,” said Dr Fenton.
“Preventive rehabilitation interventions are delivered with a focus on improving quality of life as many issues associated with cancer and its treatment can lead to psychological distress and potentially debilitating physical problems.”
He added: “The results of the clinic have been fantastic.
“We have not only been able to improve timely access to better pain control for our patients but, through wider assessment of needs and intervention from therapists and dietitians, we have been able to address their wider concerns and needs.”
Previously, this patient group could wait a number of weeks to receive an assessment, often not seeing therapy or nutritional specialists until the final few months of life.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here