Chemotherapy at Work service scoops Nursing Times Award
Posted 5th November 2019
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is celebrating after being announced the winners of the Nursing Times ‘Nursing in the Community Award’ at the annual national awards.
The prestigious award ceremony, which brings together the very best nursing and midwifery teams from across the country, recognised The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre’s team for delivering chemotherapy treatment to patients in their workplace.
The chemotherapy community service was first introduced in 2015 to provide chemotherapy treatment to patients at home. Since 2018 The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre has worked with patients’ employers to create a safe environment for patients to receive their treatment at work.
To date, Chemotherapy at Work has been delivered in businesses including offices, packing warehouses, libraries and cafes.
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is the first Trust in the UK to deliver chemotherapy at work, giving patients choice as to where they can be treated whilst bringing a sense of normality to patients who choose, and are able, to return to work after cancer treatment.
Sheila Lloyd, Director of Nursing and Quality at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, said; “We’re immensely proud of the nursing service we offer to our patients. I’m delighted the Clatterbridge in the Community Team have been recognised at this level for this innovative, nurse-led service.
“We are always working with partners across the region to offer the best cancer services to our patients. This is just one great example of how collaboration, in this case with our patients’ employers, can benefit those going through cancer treatment.
“Patients have told us that this nurse led service has been one of the best they have seen. It has made a big difference to their lives because they can have their treatment in the workplace and not have to leave to go to hospital appointments and return to work later. It is a great example of putting patients first.”
The Immunotherapy Team at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre were also named finalists in the ‘Cancer Nursing’ category for their specialist team of nurses who support patients experiencing side effects as a result of immunotherapy treatment.
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre’s pioneering toxicity guidance has been adopted nationally and the team has been working with the UK Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS) to develop national guidelines.
This award recognition comes at an exciting time for The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre who are expanding their services for patients in Cheshire and Merseyside by building a brand new specialist cancer hospital in Liverpool city centre. The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool, which will open in May 2020, is an eleven-storey, state-of-the-art hospital which hopes to save an additional 700 lives every year.
