RO-05IMPROVING INFORMATION FOR PAEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS

Abstract

RO-05. IMPROVING INFORMATION FOR PAEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS Shona Mackie1, Krishnachandran Chandrasekharan2, Inga Driver2, Omar Al-Salihi2, and Jenna Everett2; Paediatric Oncology, Southampton Children’s Hospital, Southampton, UK; Clinical Oncology, Southampton University Hospital, Southampton, UK Southampton Children’s Hospital Oncology service treats children from across the south of England and sees approximately 100 new diagnoses per year. Of these, an average of 35 patients per year receive radiotherapy as part of their treatment. Preparation is essential for patient compliance and the key to successful treatment. In 2014 the paediatric oncology Multidisciplinary team identified that younger children had excellent materials, however the resources for older children were outdated and unfit for purpose. OBJECTIVE: To produce a modular information DVD for children over eight years old. METHOD: Six children on or recently completed radiotherapy consented to participate. Loaded Productions, a company specialising in medical films, produced the DVD. RESULTS: Filming took place during weekends to minimise disruption to the clinical service and included local departmental staff. Treatments including head and neck mask, vac bag and limb board were filmed to show a variety of immobilisation forms. Informal unstructured interviews enabled the participants to describe their experiences in their own words and their personalities and experiences became an important part of the final product. The DVD was designed in a module format for easeofviewingandtoavoid informationoverload.Newpatientshavereported that the DVD relieved some of their fears and uncertainties, parents have also found it gives them the information they needed to support their child. CONCLUSION: The formulation of a DVD linked to local practices and personnel that children will encounter can support radiotherapy preparation, reduce parental and patient anxiety and improve compliance. Neuro-Oncology 18:iii159–iii164, 2016. doi:10.1093/neuonc/now082.5 #The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.