Treatment and Care

The aim of the treatment programme is to ensure that patients across Wessex Cancer Alliance will receive the most effective, precise and safe treatments, with fewer side effects and shorter treatment times. Current activities and priorities for this programme are:

The implementation of a Cancer Surgical Hub to support recovery and restoration of services, provide ring fenced capacity for cancer patients to receive surgery in a safe environment and reduce pressure on our services
The restoration and recovery of cancer delivery and performance
The identification of, and securing of, new ways of working post COVID
Expanding the use of chemotherapy closer to home services across Wessex Cancer Alliance
SACT Closer to home infographic
Out of hospital chemotherapy main findings infographic
The optimisation of radiotherapy services
Ensuring Teenage and Young Adults and Children’s cancer services matches up against the new specifications
To review specialised service commissioning in line with new specifications
The implementation of new streamlined MDT guidelines where appropriate

Latest publications:

Implementing Lynch Syndrome Testing and Surveillance Pathways Handbook

The Implementing Lynch syndrome testing and surveillance pathways handbook has been updated to reflect the change from CCGs to ICBs and to clarify that people who have Lynch syndrome will be enrolled into the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme for their surveillance colonoscopies. Please share the updated handbook with relevant colleagues.

Read the handbook here.

Home Denosumab Self-Administration

This paper describes the experience of two NHS trusts in setting up a home self-administration service for denosumab during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The service development project took place during 2020-2021. The article explores the barriers to and facilitators of this project and reports the results of a patient feedback survey which showed that all respondents wished to continue self-administration of denosumab at home.

Read the full paper here.