Publish date: 29 January 2024
Oncology News Today Podcast
An innovation that is transforming the two-week gastrointestinal (GI) pathway in Leeds is the subject of a podcast being broadcast on national cancer news website Oncology News Today.
The project, at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) is not only helping to improve patient experience but is also addressing demand on the pathway and freeing up capacity.
Funded by West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance as part of its successful annual innovation competition, the initiative involves patients having a medicines’ review prior to visiting a two week wait GI frailty clinic.
The idea came after clinicians noticed that many patients were presenting at the clinic with medicines that exacerbated their symptoms, causing toxicity, had medicines that were no longer indicated or required a change in medication to manage their symptoms. Polypharmacy and concordance are a key component of the frailty review.
This potentially caused the patient to present to their GP with symptoms of suspected bowel cancer and GPs would then initiate a two week wait referral. As a result, a significant number of patients were being referred who did not need to continue on the pathway.
By having a medicines’ review prior to clinic, a hospital visit may be prevented which improves the patient experience and increases frailty clinic capacity, where demand is double capacity. The pharmacist also undertakes joint consultations with senior nurse (ACP /CNS) or doctor in the clinic to discuss medicines management and agree a joint plan with the patient going forward.
The podcast, featuring Helen Ryan, Innovation Manager at the Cancer Alliance and Dr Sherena Nair, Consultant in Elderly Medicine/Perioperative Medicine at LTHT, is now available through the following link:
Episode 18 - Dr Sherena Nair and Helen Ryan - On Air | Podcast on Spotify
Ends
