Improving outcomes for people with skin tumours including melanoma

B. Anticipated benefits
At present, the service for patients with skin cancer is fragmented.
Many patients are managed by GPs or a range of hospital
practitioners who do not have a special interest in skin cancer.
Consolidation of care into the hands of trained personnel working
within approved structures and to network-wide evidence-based
clinical protocols, who subject their work to audit, should ensure that
every patient receives appropriate treatment.
Improving Outcomes for
People with Skin Tumours
including Melanoma
Organisation of skin
cancer services
All patients should be treated by teams whose resources and expertise
are matched to the level the patients need.
In some areas there may be a reduced use of hospital clinics for
precancerous lesions and low-risk skin cancers.
Patients with low-risk lesions may be managed closer to their homes.
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There will be more time and resources created for the appropriate
management of high-risk cases by the specialist teams.
There will be greater standardisation of expertise and care across the
cancer network.
Multidisciplinary working ensures that interventions optimise the
benefit to individual patients by drawing on numerous specialisations
and hence a range of viewpoints. The MDT approach is valuable in
terms of support and joint learning. The inclusion of palliative care
specialists, psychologists, counsellors and psychiatrists should ensure
that patients’ needs are met early.
An increase in the number of CNSs is anticipated to reduce patient
anxiety, enhance quality of life and avoid re-admission to hospital
after treatment by identifying and treating problems promptly. The
CNS will have a key role in educating patients about skin selfexamination
in future years. Patients are likely to have more
opportunity to communicate at length with the CNS, and the CNS can
communicate patients’ psychosocial needs and wider concerns to all
involved specialties. The CNS will also ensure continuity of care
between hospital and community, and primary and palliative care.
Management by efficiently coordinated MDTs, with adequate
secretarial support and data management, will improve
communication and coordination throughout the service. This will
prevent duplication of work and help to ensure that all those
involved in dealing with patients have the information they require to
carry out their roles effectively.
Guidance on cancer services: skin tumours including melanoma
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