Abstract
Introduction: There are an ever increasing number of prostate cancer survivors. These patients are currently followed up in secondary care. Focus of care is on recurrence and acute management, not holistic care. Method: Over a 3 year period, patients attending follow-up appointments having completed treatment for organ confined prostate cancer and satisfying entry criteria were offered to join the programme. This comprises a database for PSA tracking and holistic assessment of patient needs run by a specialist nurse. The programme is supplemented by a Survivorship conference once a year, where patients have access to healthcare professionals discussing a range of topics related to prostate cancer. We assess patient satisfaction with questionnaires both pre and post conference and with a focus group in order to develop recommendations for the programme. Results: We currently have 178 on the database 55 patients and friends visited the conference, with the majority specifying they would re-attend. The majority also ranked the conference as worthwhile re-attending. After the conference, we demonstrate patient concern decreases, with disease control and understanding increasing. We also show patients prefer the community based follow-up scheme, as opposed to a hospital based follow up. Conclusion: Survivorship care has yet to be developed fully in clinical practice; this paper demonstrates how we can do this as part of a co-led approach with patients.
Highlights
There are an ever increasing number of prostate cancer survivors
Survivorship care has yet to be developed fully in clinical practice; this paper demonstrates how we can do this as part of a co-led approach with patients
Cancer survivorship is a high priority for the National Health Service (NHS)
Summary
We currently have 158 patients on the data base, 8 having undergone brachytherapy, 67 radiotherapy and 78 post surgery. They enjoyed seeing ‘the big man’ or lady, they often see the registrar rather than consultant, especially when further from treatment (and with stable PSA), some were told they could be referred back to the consultant. Patients felt that problems could be addressed very quickly following a hospital appointment. Patients felt they were referred on by consultant where necessary. Patients were able to choose where their PSA was done, at hospital or in the community [16] They felt saves the patients’ time, less stress, no parking!. The overall message taken away by patients is summarised by “Someone, somewhere cares”[20]
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