Finalists
Innovation Excellence
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Catherine King
Macmillan Move More Coordinator - Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council
Image: Finalist 2023 Catherine King Catherine teamed up with green-fingered Macmillan fundraiser and volunteer Andrew McClarty to develop Move More Feel Good Gardeners, a series of easily accessible gardening sessions. Based in Andrew’s own polytunnel, patients and their families came along to learn about gardening from root to shoot while receiving crucial peer support. Thanks to Catherine’s passion, participants reported improved emotional wellbeing and decreased loneliness.
‘It was so much more than a physical activity programme,’ says Catherine. ‘It was great to watch people switch off and chat about their worries and concerns in an environment where there's lots of laughter.’
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Cancer Services Wellbeing4You
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
Image: Finalist 2023 Cancer Services Wellbeing4You When patients finish active cancer treatment, they can often feel abandoned and they’re not sure where to turn when they need support. Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust Cancer Services sought to address this by creating Wellbeing4You – a rolling health and wellbeing programme that is embedded within the Trust’s cancer pathway.
Over four weeks, patients attend accessible, friendly sessions where they undergo holistic needs assessments and receive bespoke support from a multidisciplinary team including the Psychosocial Lead, occupational therapists, dietitians, physiotherapists and cancer support workers. The programme, which was co-designed with people affected by cancer, empowers patients with tools, knowledge and emotional resilience to optimise their quality of life.
‘We’re offering equitable support by making this programme part of a patient’s pathway – they don’t have to opt-in,’ explains Macmillan Psychosocial Lead Anne O'Callaghan. ‘If a patient isn’t well enough to attend the sessions, we go to them. We’re making sure every patient is heard and their needs are met.’
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Kelly Pritchard
Macmillan Centre Manager - The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
Image: Finalist 2023 Kelly Pritchard Traditionally, cancer support tends to begin from diagnosis, however patients often struggle emotionally before they get to that point. To alleviate the anxiety that comes from undergoing tests and awaiting results, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust launched The Referral Support Service, a unique initiative that supports patients’ mental wellbeing from the point of referral.
The first-of-its-kind service was designed and developed by Macmillan Cancer Information Centre Manager Kelly Pritchard. Kelly’s determination to offer personalised, holistic support has reduced anxiety, the reluctance to have diagnostic tests, and ‘did not attend’ rates. By being there for patients at an earlier stage, the service is confident that it will reduce the number of patients who require formal psychosocial intervention later on.
‘The two-week wait is a very frightening time for people, but this service means that they don't need to feel alone,’ explains Kelly. ‘It can be easily replicated elsewhere too – everyone should receive this level of support.’
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North Wales Department of Specialist Palliative Care
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Image: Finalist 2023 North Wales Department of Specialist Palliative Care Most people wish to die at home. Timely symptom control is key, particularly when someone is too weak to swallow medication. Subcutaneous injections usually need to be administered by clinicians, meaning patients sometimes have to wait for hours, which can be extremely distressing.
The North Wales Department of Specialist Palliative Care implemented a novel innovation to ensure timely symptom control at the end of life in the community through carer-administered injections. This practice supports patients’ wishes to die at home, empowers carers, and helps them cope into bereavement.
By March 2023, 120 patients had received 1,273 carer-administered injections, and the outcomes are excellent. Patients get quicker symptom control (the median wait is down from 105 to 10 minutes) and an increased likelihood of dying at home. Carers are well-supported by healthcare professionals and confident in medication administration.
This safe practice reframes carer roles for those dying at home and supports a sustainable shift away from the medicalisation of end of life.
Integration Excellence
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Gynaecology Triage Team
Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
Image: Finalist 2023 Gynaecology Triage Team 1 Image: Finalist 2023 Gynaecology Triage Team 2 In 2021, the Gynaecology Team at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust introduced a nurse-led triage straight to test pathway to speed up cancer diagnoses, improve the patient experience and reduce unnecessary tests.
A complex service change like this required the cooperation of numerous clinical and non-clinical teams across the Trust including Hysteroscopy, Histology, Radiology, primary care and the Bookings Team. The Gynaecology Team secured the buy-in of their colleagues by building open and honest relationships and creating a shared goal of getting things done faster for the benefit of patients. As a result of their determination, they have embedded a fully integrated pathway that has the flexibility to adapt processes quickly.
‘I’m proud of the fact that we’ve brought every team together to make this a success,’ says Macmillan Lead Gynaecology Specialist Nurse Lesley Walker. ‘Beforehand, teams tended to work in isolation, but now we’re really well connected, and we have built strong relationships.’
Quality Improvement Excellence
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Breast Cancer Team
Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Image: Finalist 2023 Breast Cancer Team Cancer support groups give patients a valuable opportunity to share their experiences with others in similar situations. Unfortunately, many patients fail to engage with groups that take a traditional, one-size-fits-all approach since they don’t deliver personalised care.
To improve access to support, Macmillan Support Worker Raffa Tate, Macmillan Breast Cancer CNS Mia Logan-Ellis (Nikki) and Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse Eamon O'Reilly, worked collaboratively to develop three bespoke groups for breast cancer patients at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
The groups, which are for newly diagnosed patients, women in the Asian community, and younger women, host appropriate guest speakers and hold nuanced discussions based on the participants’ needs. Each group, facilitated by Raffa, allows patients to speak about the things that matter to them in a safe and comfortable environment.
‘We’ve stepped away from any pre-ordained idea about what a support group should be,’ explains Eamon. ‘We’re shaping the support around the patient rather than expecting them to fit around us.’
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Caroline Sime
Clinical Engagement Lead - Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care
Image: Finalist 2023 Caroline Sime Given the amount of people who die in hospital, it’s important that they are places where people receive excellent care at the end of their lives. Building on the Best, a joint project run by the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care, NHS Boards and Macmillan has been working to achieve this under the inspirational leadership of Caroline Sime.
Caroline worked tirelessly to establish the Scottish Network for Acute Palliative Care which gives every hospital palliative care team in Scotland the opportunity to connect for mutual support, sharing information and learning. She managed a programme of 12 Macmillan-funded quality improvement projects supported by the network. These ranged from high-level strategic improvements to impactful bedside-level changes such as introducing sensory experiences for people at the end of their lives.
‘To be able to support the clinical teams in creating sustainable projects that have improved people’s experiences has been so satisfying and rewarding,’ explains Caroline.
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RFL Macmillan Cancer Support Workers
Royal Free London NHS Trust
Image: Finalist 2023 RFL Macmillan Cancer Support Workers Holistic needs assessments (HNAs) are crucial in supporting the delivery of personalised cancer care as they consider all aspects of a patient’s life to identify their individual needs. Busy CNSs at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust didn’t always have time to offer HNAs and didn’t understand the benefits of the intervention, which meant provision across tumour groups was inconsistent.
To resolve this, a Macmillan personalised care lead and a team of eight cancer support workers were appointed to standardise and transform the delivery of HNAs across the Trust’s three different hospitals. As well as educating their clinical colleagues on the importance of personalised cancer care, the team have also freed up specialist nursing time and, crucially, made an enormous impact on the patient experience.
‘The cancer support workers are highly skilled. They’ve come so far and achieved so much for patients, and their plans for the future of the service are really exciting,’ says team lead David Cullen.
Whatever it Takes
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Gynaecology Triage Team
Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
Image: Finalist 2023 Gynaecology Triage Team 1 Image: Finalist 2023 Gynaecology Triage Team 2 A gynaecological cancer diagnosis is often a protracted process involving several diagnostic tests and an anxious wait for patients. To improve the speed and timeliness of investigations, the Gynaecology Team at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust introduced a fast-track nurse-led triage service that has reduced waiting times and enhanced the patient experience.
The team worked beyond their hours to establish this straight to test model. With support and teaching from three designated consultants, the CNSs took on a clinical triage role and became involved at the start of the pathway rather than diagnosis. The pathway navigator provided a single point of contact, the cancer care coordinator completed HNAs and Care Plans and the administrator managed bookings.
‘The triage service is all about patients receiving the right tests at the right time, and getting them a diagnosis by day 28,’ explains Macmillan Lead Gynaecology Specialist Nurse Lesley Walker. ‘We’ve shown that this model works and it's right for patients.’
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Haematology Nursing Team
Chesterfield Royal Hospital
Image: Finalist 2023 Haematology Nursing Team Peer support helps people with cancer to open up about their experiences. The unique needs of blood cancer patients mean generic cancer support groups aren’t always suitable to meet their needs. To address this, the Haematology Nursing Team at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital Trust created a bespoke package of support.
The team collaborated with both patients and their onsite Macmillan information and support centre to set up a haematology support group and a buddy scheme, as well as providing proactive support to loved ones.
‘The service constantly evolves based on our patients’ needs,’ says Haematology CNS Tracey Small. ‘Some patients do not want group conversations – they prefer individual support, so the buddy scheme was developed specifically for them.’
Despite team members being redeployed to the front line during the pandemic, the nurses still managed to get to grips with new technology so they could run the group remotely and ensure their vulnerable patients received vital support.
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Jyoti Shah MBE
Macmillan Consultant Urological Surgeon - North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Image: Finalist 2023 Jyoti Shah MBE During the pandemic, restrictions often meant patients were being diagnosed with cancer without the support of a loved one. They didn’t always get the chance to ask questions and they were often overwhelmed by a vast quantity of leaflets from different sources. Desperate to ensure prostate cancer patients received better support, Macmillan Consultant Urological Surgeon Jyoti Shah MBE set about writing an easy-to-read book covering every aspect of their journey.
Fighting Prostate Cancer – A Survival Guide is an inclusive A to Z guide that supports men from diagnosis to terminal care. Not only did Jyoti write it in her own time, but she also helped fund it and she gives it away for free.
‘When you tell someone that they have cancer, a word bomb explodes in their head and they can’t take in any more information,’ explains Jyoti. ‘Our patients were lost in the jungle. They didn’t need piecemeal leaflets, they needed a comprehensive book.’
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Macmillan Cancer Care Navigators
James Paget University Hospital
Image: Finalist 2023 Macmillan Cancer Care Navigators With no Macmillan cancer information and support centre in Great Yarmouth, people affected by cancer often felt lost and alone. While CNSs at the James Paget University Hospital provided excellent clinical support, they didn’t have enough time to meet each patient’s unique holistic needs. That’s where the Macmillan Cancer Care Navigators Team came in.
Established in 2021, the inspirational non-clinical team of four work closely with primary and secondary care to promote person-centred care. They support patients at any point on their pathway by linking them to local services as well as providing critical emotional support. They also host a hugely popular ‘Coffee, Cake and Natter’ group for patients and their loved ones, and a peer support group for hospital employees affected by cancer.
‘We’ve evolved and developed the service around the needs of the patients,’ says cancer care navigator Lyndsey Hewitt. ‘Patients say that we’re their lifeline and that coming to see us feels like seeing friends.’
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Pleural Team
Wirral University Teaching Hospital
Image: Finalist 2023 Pleural Team Pleural effusion, where fluid accumulates in the lining of the lung, is a common symptom in advanced cancer. To alleviate the breathlessness it causes, an indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) can be inserted to allow nurses and trained family members to drain the fluid at home. IPCs give cancer patients a better quality of life, but it’s crucial that specialist support is always available to them – and that’s exactly what the Pleural Team at Wirral University Teaching Hospital is providing.
The team is dedicated to offering holistic support and same day emergency care through interventions that resolve issues quickly and reduce hospital admissions. At the heart of their person-centred service is a responsive helpline that’s available to patients, families, and healthcare professionals alike.
‘Breathlessness is a debilitating symptom. We will do whatever we can to relieve that,’ says Pleural CNS Eleanor Fleming. ‘We are dedicated in supporting patients and their loved ones through every step, from diagnosis and onwards.’