Award-winning cancer environments

Spring 2011

People with cancer can spend a lot of time in treatment and support facilities. You can show that your service and facility is at the leading edge of cancer care environments by applying for the Macmillan Quality Environment Mark (MQEM).

Cathy Hutchison is a Cancer Consultant Nurse at the Haematology and Oncology Day Unit at the Beatson Centre in Glasgow. She was thrilled her facility was one of the first to be awarded the MQEM. And the benefits have been felt far and wide.

Cathy says the main advantage was that it encouraged everyone at the unit to spend time reflecting on the service they were giving. ‘It got us thinking about the things we may not routinely consider. And it’s meant that we were able to push on with the issues that were frustrating us,’ she says.

‘Being bench marked against other units is encouraging. We knew the standards were high. It’s given our staff a sense of ownership and pride in what they’re doing.’

What really resonated with Cathy was that a person with cancer was involved in the process, forming part of the assessment panel.

What next?

Email us| to apply or to find out how Macmillan can support your application. Application fees are waived for all public, non-profit cancer care environments