Update from Claire – Breast Care Nurse
Staffing update:
Mr Rainsbury retiring end 2019
No decision to replace him as yet
Miss Laws and Miss Chand to pick up the work
Jo Fields – new Advanced Nurse Practitioner will pick up the follow-up clinics
There’s been a steady increase over last 12m of referrals – not necessarily increased cancer diagnosis’ – more “no cancer” cases as GPs are referring more if uncertain
Doctors doing more GP guidelines / guidance now to raise awareness
Was an increase due to digital mammography a few years ago – better quality of imaging – but that has levelled off
UK shortage of radiologists
Also shortage of pathologists – having to wait longer for test results
Germany – mammograms every 2 years
USA – annual mammograms
UK – annual for 5 years after diagnosis but otherwise every 3 years.
Was recently reduced to 47 and up to 73
Debates over efficacy of regular screening versus costs and exposure to radiation.
DCIS – Ductal Carcinoma In Situ – means the cells are precancerous and/or within the breast tissue – havent become invasive yet – this is when it spreads.
Over 70s are not part of the screening programme but can request mamograms if needed
If under 47 can only get a mammogram if symptoms are presented
Depending on the type of treatment and type of cancer as to how often the follow ups are.
Introduced to Cassie (Cassandra) – Cancer Support Worker in post since April 2019 and she works at Winchester and Basingstoke Hospitals.
Cassie does H+A (Hollistic Needs Assessments) with patients which is an NHS requirement done at Diagnosis time, then 6m after, then at the end of treatment, or at any time during treatment as required by the patient.
Patient is given a Questionnaire to fill in and Cassie rings patients to chat about how they are feeling and coping. Work, Household chores, Socialing etc…. Its about you and how you’re coping with life
Cassie is also setting up Patient Led Access / Open Access
Basingstoke call it PIFU (patient initiated follow up) processes for self referral of patients.
If you ring her you might get an answerphone but she will aim to get back to you in 48 hours.
Please phone BCNs if an urgent issue or concern – don’t email as it wont get answered straight away
We can ring Cassie re any enquiries that are not urgent health issues.
If you have Prosthesis – after 5 years we have to go via GP to get a referral to BCN – its the NHS process…
Cassie is contacting patients diagnosed since Han 2019 but she’s not proactively going back before Jan 2019. If any patients think Cassie can help please ring or email her.
Moving Forward Course – run by Breast Cancer Now (was Breast Cancer Care)
They are run 3 times per year at Winchester, Basingstoke and Southampton Hospitals.
Breast Cancer Now website shows the dates for Moving Forward courses.
>From next year Winchester Moving Forward courses will be at Sarum Road site.
Best to wait until finished all treatment.
Intraoperative radiotherapy is being offered at Winchester.
There are specific criteria to be offered this new treatment, including:
Over age 50.
Less than 2cms.
Er+ her2-.
Winch is only one of 6 hospitals offering this treatment – have been trialling it for 10 years so not enough stats to know the long term effects.
External rads have been around for many years and lots of stats.
Attendance: 8
Collection: £7
Donation to Wessex Cancer Trust: £4
Expenses: £ 1 (receipt obtained and reimbursed)
To bank: £2