This quarter, two newly-accredited hospitals have joined the ranks of those recognised by Myeloma UK as evidencing clinical service excellence – with a further five reaccreditations.

The Friarage Hospital and University Hospital of North Tees have achieved first-time accreditation whilst Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Poole Hospital, and Queen’s Hospital, Romford demonstrated their ongoing commitment to outstanding myeloma care, achieving reaccreditation

If you would like to join the ranks of these outstanding myeloma centres – and many more across the UK – complete our application form or email the team at CSEP@myeloma.org.uk

Friarage Hospital, Northallerton

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits Friarage Hospital to visit the new Surgical hub to lay the first brick, and to meet patients, doctors, and nurses at the Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Centre. Picture by Edward Massey / CCHQ

We were very impressed with the Friarage Hospital’s excellent support services both within the hospital and in the community. The haematology and oncology community outreach team are able to administer treatments in patient’s homes and can also train patients or their families/carers to do so themselves. This reduces the need for patients to travel into hospital for treatments.

University Hospital of North Tees

The CSEP team were particularly impressed with the nurse-led myeloma-specific clinics at University Hospital of North Tees, which provide support to myeloma patients and their families. The clinic appointments provide consistency and reassurance to myeloma patients. Patients have a monthly review to check bloods and confirm treatment. Any problems or concerns are discussed, and the team provide much-needed emotional support during this time. The dedication shown by the team is clearly reflected in the excellent Patient Experience Survey results received.

Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre

A feature of the Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre is its excellent clinical research profile. Their clinical trial offering provides important local and regional access to a range of myeloma trials, including CAR-T cell treatment. Patients on trials are well supported through close liaison between the myeloma team and research nurses.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital

The CSEP team were impressed with Chesterfield Royal Hospital’s excellent links with the palliative care team, who are very proactive in seeing myeloma inpatients and provide excellent support to those who require their specialist input. The palliative and haematology outpatient clinics also run in the same space once a week, meaning that some patients are seen by both teams in one visit. The myeloma team can access the palliative care team easily for any advice.

Manchester Royal Infirmary

The myeloma clinic at Manchester Royal Infirmary is currently attended by a doctor from geriatric medicine, who provides specialist advice, assessment and guidance for the management of elderly frail myeloma patients. We were pleased to see this innovative approach in ensuring patients have the appropriate expertise for their individual needs.

Poole Hospital

A continued highlight of the service at Poole Hospital is the emphasis on holistic care across the myeloma service. Myeloma patient’s needs are continually assessed from diagnosis until end-of-life and patients are referred to a comprehensive range of support services. These include complementary therapies such as reflexology and acupuncture, which a local trial showed was helpful for patients experiencing peripheral neuropathy.

Queen’s Hospital, Romford

A clear highlight of the service provided at Queen’s Hospital is the pre-habilitation programme which is offered to myeloma patients. This involves input from a physiotherapist, dietician and psychologist, who work with myeloma patients in preparation for treatments such as chemotherapy.

Conclusion

The Clinical Service Excellence Programme (CSEP) was established in 2015 to support hospitals in delivering patient-focused myeloma treatment and care, benchmarked against best practice standards. CSEP enables hospitals to recognise and celebrate their achievements, identify key areas for development, and share best practice initiatives. To view accredited hospitals, please visit the CSEP website.