Hospital Trust improves services for breast cancer patients

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has made improvements to its breast cancer services, following a collaboration with the charity Breast Cancer Now.

The changes, driven by patient feedback, are set to enhance the support and care offered to patients across Shropshire, Telford, and mid-Wales.

The improvements were made as part of Breast Cancer Now’s Service Pledge programme, which focuses on making patient-led enhancements to breast cancer services. According to a joint statement from SaTH's Breast Surgical Specialist Blossom Lake and Advanced Nurse Practitioner Mandy Wilson, the programme has been a resounding success.

"We have been working closely with Breast Cancer Now to improve our breast service for Shropshire patients and the delivery of care," said Mandy Wilson. "Through questionnaires and workshops, we identified a range of service improvements, leading to several positive changes."

Enhanced Support and Information

A key outcome of the programme is the provision of improved, tailored support at the time of a breast cancer diagnosis. Patients now receive more comprehensive information and a Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA) at the point of surgery.

Blossom Lake highlighted further enhancements, stating, "Additional guidance has also been provided to patients about surgery and side effects, including information on support services such as Keeps Abreast and Breast Cancer Now’s Someone Like Me service." Patients will also now have opportunities to connect with others who have been through similar experiences.

The Trust has also made it easier for patients to access the care teams they need. Contact details for cancer care navigators are now provided, along with more contacts through the Living Well app.

A Collaborative Effort

The success of the programme is credited to the collaborative partnership between the Trust and Breast Cancer Now, with patient feedback at its core.

"The Breast Cancer Now Service Pledge has allowed us to work in partnership with our patients," said Blossom Lake. "This collaborative working... has allowed us to implement changes to patient care and improve our service."

Teresa Boughey, Non-Executive Director at SaTH, expressed her pride in the achievement. "We are very proud to have completed all the actions in our Breast Cancer Service Pledge, which will make a positive change for our patients," she said. "The breast cancer care team is committed to improving the best care and support for everyone affected by breast cancer."

Claire Rowney, Chief Executive at Breast Cancer Now, also praised the Trust's efforts. "We’re delighted that our Service Pledge programme has helped SaTH to achieve the very best standards of care for people with breast cancer," she said.

The Service Pledge programme, which has been improving breast cancer services since 2003, is jointly sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company Ltd and Roche Products Ltd. Ms Rowney is confident that the changes implemented at SaTH will continue to deliver positive outcomes for those living with breast cancer.