Late effects service in Nottingham

Blog
Published: 12 October 2021

This initiative was set up to transform the late effects service for patients at Nottingham University Hospital. Emma Hallam explains what steps Allied Health Professionals took to help patients dealing with late effects after radiotherapy and chemotherapy.


Emma Hallam Macmillan Consultant Radiographer in Post Treatment and Late Effects, Nottingham University Hospital

The initiative

This initiative was set up to:

  • identify patients needs at an early time point, educate and screen for potential late effects with patients before they experience the long effects of treatment - many are waiting a long time for referrals. Patients are often not referred until the toxicity is at a critical point or the late effects are not recognised by other health professionals.
  • continue to develop the late effects service for patients - who are 6 months out of treatment and suffering from physical and psychological effects.

What we did

Worked with patients referred into the service to get a view of the patient’s needs from their own perspective.
  • Used funding to follow up with high risk groups which included patients with head and neck and gynaecological cancers.
  • Worked with patients referred into the service to get a view of the patient’s needs from their own perspective.
  • Looked at ways to improve patient’s quality of life and gain a better understanding of why people are not getting help at the right time.
  • Helped patients to live well with the after effects of treatment, working on short and long-term improvements. This included getting patients back to work, out of the house, and trying new treatments.

Impact and outcomes

This initiative is currently being evaluated.

Future aims

  • To replicate the model as there is a need to help improve the quality of life for patients post treatment.
  • To continue to let patients know what is available in their area.
  • Work with other Allied Healthcare Professionals to train others to deliver these services, if funding can be provided.

Find out more

You can contact the team by emailing Emma Hallam at Emma.Hallam@nuh.nhs.uk.

 

You can find Emma Hallam on Twitter @EmmaHallam6.

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