We are pleased to report that Macclesfield District General Hospital, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool, University Hospital of Wales and Churchill Hospital have all received Myeloma UK’s Clinical Service Excellence Programme (CSEP) award. Each hospital demonstrated excellent clinical practice, with some notable highlights.
Macclesfield District General Hospital, Macclesfield
A highlight at Macclesfield District General Hospital is Dr Faye Sharpley’s teaching sessions for local GPs, which have helped increase appropriate requesting of serum free light chain (sFLC)assays and improve understanding of the results. We were also particularly impressed with how Lead Macmillan Pharmacist Hannah Miller is comparing the use of different frailty assessments in myeloma clinics to inform dose and dose alterations. The team hope this pilot study will inform and improve both local and national practice.
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool
We were very impressed with how nurse consultant Craig Simon has encouraged consultants to take a more holistic approach to patient care with the combination of his nursing background and current clinical work. Craig’s role has strengthened senior clinical leadership in the team and increased the capacity for assessment and review of newly diagnosed patients. Another clear highlight at Clatterbridge is the palliative care provided by the Enhanced Supportive Care Unit, which won the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Value Award for Specialist Service Redesign in 2021. The rapid response and engagement provided by the team ensure patients are managed seamlessly for symptom control and end-of-life care. Additionally, the name of the unit helps patients in their understanding and acceptance of specialist palliative care.
University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff
A highlight at the University Hospital of Wales is the department’s use of the Welsh National Myeloma Dashboard to capture clinical data, including diagnostic and staging information through a bespoke myeloma multi-disciplinary team e-form. The team have also improved patient management through their use of the Welsh Clinical Portal, which can be accessed by colleagues at other sites. We were also impressed with Dr Ceri Bygrave’s work with the immunology lab on signposting for GPs.
Churchill Hospital, Oxford
We were delighted to attend the plaque presentation at Churchill Hospital during Myeloma Awareness Week 2022. A clear highlight for the team is the Network Site Specific Group (NSSG) – Haematology website, which is a widely used and well-regarded resource of up-to-date, printable protocols and guidance for myeloma treatments.
The quality and reach of the NSSG website provide a great example of sharing knowledge at a local, regional, and national level. The medical and nursing staff are also very responsive to the high number of emails that come in from across the region, evidencing how Churchill Hospital actively works with local district general hospitals to understand and meet individual patients’ needs and promote optimum myeloma care.