PAN BIRMINGHAM CANCER NETWORK - NHS Pan Birmingham ...

PAN BIRMINGHAM CANCER NETWORK
MINUTES OF SUPPORTIVE AND PALLIATIVE CARE NETWORK SITE SPECIFIC
GROUP
Present:
Held on Monday 11 July 2011 at Birmingham Research Park
Dr John Speakman JS University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation
Trust
Mrs Mandy Wilson MW Pan Birmingham Cancer Network
Dr Nikki Read NR St Giles Hospice
Mrs Helen Meehan HM Solihull Community Trust
Ms Liz Cottier LC Marie Curie Hospice
Mr David George DG Pan Birmingham User Partnership Group
Ms Lara Barnish LB Pan Birmingham Cancer Network
Dr Jackie Dominey JD NHS Birmingham East and North
Mrs Trisha Castenheira TC St Mary’s Hospice
Dr Inigo Tolosa IT University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation
Trust
Dr Chantal Meystre CM Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust
Ms Karen Green KG Birmingham Specialised Community NHS Trust
Ms Kate Claridge KC University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation
Trust
In Attendance:
Ms Kate Armour KA Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Tatyana Guveli TG Pan Birmingham Cancer Network
(for part of the meeting)
Ms Laura Pitt LP Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
1. Apologies:
Mrs Pat Bennett PB Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
Mrs Sindy Dhallu SD Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
Ms Katherine Hall KHal Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Mrs Kay Harries KHar Pan Birmingham Cancer Network
Ms Shareen Jwule SJ Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
Ms Anna Lock AL Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Ms Lisa Parton LP Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Steve Plenderleith SP St Mary’s Hospice
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2. Minutes of Last Meeting Held on 09 May 2011
These were agreed with the following amendment:
CM and KA were present at the meeting.
MW will amend the minutes accordingly.
3. Matters Arising
3.1 Update on FSF Bid
JS outlined that this bid was in relation to providing funding for a
Band 7 Research Nurse who be employed by University Hospitals
Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust but would work across the
Network.
It was noted that previously there has been very small recruitment to
trials for supportive and palliative care and is hoped that the
successful applicant will encourage a higher intake of patients into
trial recruitment.
At this point of the meeting DG asked how feasible it was to include
Social Workers in research and trial recruitment. It was felt to be
unclear how this involvement could be taken forward although those
present deemed it a good idea.
3.2 Position of Deputy Chair – update
At the last meeting it was agreed that MW would circulate a
nomination form for the position of Deputy Chair, which had been
undertaken. TC was successful in being nominated for this position
and has agreed to undertake this role.
It was clarified that the role of Deputy Chair does not automatically
take over the role of Chair once their tenure has been completed a
similar process of nominations being sought would be undertaken.
3.3 Update on 24\7 and 7\7 Visits
The group were informed that visits have already been undertaken to
St Giles Hospice and Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and
members were thanked for making JS and LB welcome and also for
being open and honest in the discussions undertaken.
An article in the recent publication of Palliative Medicine showed the
benefits in having a six day service. In addition University Hospitals
Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust piloted a service earlier this year
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MW

over the long bank holiday weekends.
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University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust specialist
palliative care team now plan to start a six day service in September
2011. It is intended for an audit to be undertaken to ascertain how
viable the new changes are although KC reported that a decrease in
workload has already been noted especially on Fridays and
Mondays\Tuesdays before or after the bank holiday weekends.
3.4 Patient Information Leaflets
TG outlined that an agreement had been made to have a section on
the Network website for patients and carers and that she had been
working with members to take this idea forward.
TG reported that she would soon be leaving the Network but that a
colleague would be continuing this piece of work.
TG was thanked for the work she has undertaken with the group and
wished well in her future role.
4. Research
JS informed the group that SS was unable to attend today’s meeting
to present the item for research and asked for this to be deferred.
A discussion was undertaken during this agenda item in relation to
the Network organising a half day seminar in October 2011 which
would be dedicated to research in palliative care within the Pan
Birmingham Cancer Network.
JS proposed that presentations from the LCRN\FSF Research post
holder and also KA, Research Facilitator at Marie Curie Hospice,
and also others from the Network who are currently involved in
active research.
It is hoped that the seminar will be well attended by members of the
group and that discussions would stimulate interest in research and
also provide a valuable starting point for increasing palliative care
research activity in Pan Birmingham Cancer Network.
The proposal for a half day seminar was accepted by those present
and the next step will be for MW, JS and LB to identify a date, venue
and produce a programme which will be circulated to the group.
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5. Network Board Report\Presentation
As part of his role as Chair, JS will be expected to attend the
Network Board annually to present the report on the work
undertaken by this group, what achievements have been made and
what challenges are being experienced.
One of the issues that will be raised is in relation to 24\7 and 7\7
provision and the outcome of the visits. Another issue that was felt
should be discussed is in relation to staff issues across the Network
especially as the Network are low when compared to other
Networks.
During a discussion it was agreed that other issues to be raised
included the concern over the MSCC pathway, non-cancer workload
support and the transition of children to adult services.
During this item JD took the opportunity to update the group on the
development of imaging guidelines for patients with MSCC which
had been produced by the Radiology Network Site Specific Group
and circulated to this group and the Bony Metastases Network Site
Specific Group for consultation.
The general comments received indicated that the guidance needed
to be more in line with the NICE Guidance which states that the
service should be provided 7\7. It was outlined that if this guidance
was to be followed then Acute Trusts need to be made aware of the
decision and that all patients with MSCC should be managed with
appropriate clinical rapidity and that liaison should be undertaken
with the Oncology Team at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS
Foundation Trust.
It was outlined that while in theory this service is acceptable in reality
it is not available largely due to the non-provision of oncology
support 24 hours, 7 days a week. JS expressed the view that all
Acute Trusts in the Network should be aiming to provide a 7 day a
week MRI service for patients with suspected MSCC and went on to
say that it was unacceptable in his view to continue to transfer often
sick patients from one hospital to another (‘out of hours’) in order to
have imaging performed that could often be carried out in the original
referring hospital provided a 7 day a week MRI service was put in
place.
Several members of the group also felt that the pathway for
suspected MSCC for patients who are not currently in either the
Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust or University
Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust was still not clear –
especially ‘out of hours’ when imaging was once again raised as an
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issue
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JD informed the group that an information sheet had been produced
for use by specialists outlining how the service can be accessed and
that a similar leaflet for use by patients has also been produced.
Although it was reported that this leaflet is due for review soon and
that this review would be undertaken by the Bony Metastases
Network Site Specific Group.
As a member of the Bony Metastases Network Site Specific Group
JD agreed to keep members updated with discussions around
MSCC provision and any other relevant issues.
6. Non EU Nationals and Care Provision
This item relates to provision of care for non-EU nationals, in
particular those patients who do not have a NHS number and how
funding is provided for this group of patients.
This is relevant to all across the Network but has been raised as a
more frequent issue of late relating to patients at University Hospitals
Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and St Mary’s Hospice. TC
reported that a meeting between these two organisations has been
held to discuss this issue and the outcome of this meeting is that
hospice support will be provided both in the in patient hospice setting
and in the community according to the patient ‘s clinical need and
not constrained by funding or nationality issues .
TC outlined that the purpose of presenting this item at today’s
meeting was to identify what process is undertaken in other
organisations for this group of patients. Those present reported
similar problems had been experienced but unclear where the
funding for these patients had been received from.
It was clarified that from a GP perspective non EU patients must be
registered as private patients and would therefore be responsible for
purchasing any treatment, such as medicines, that might be
required.
LC agreed to find out what the procedure is at Marie Curie Hospice
in Hampstead as this is a problem that is probably more prevalent in
London, she will provide an update on this at the next meeting.
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7. Specialist Palliative Care Section on the Website
Earlier this year members had been asked what they would like to
see included as part of the newly designed Network website and
some of the suggestions submitted had been included and a
presentation of the new website was given at today’s meeting by LB.
It was outlined that the website is split into two categories a section
for patients and a section for professionals. Both sections contain
relevant information and can be easily accessed with no restrictions
to the information being made available.
In terms of patient involvement during the development of the
website DG reported that extensive involvement had been
undertaken by the User Partnership Group to ascertain how user
friendly the site was and whether the information provided was
transparent and easily accessible.
8. Psychology Network Site Specific Group – update
IT reported that due to the vast amount of work needed to be
undertaken by this group that some work had been undertaken via email
to avoid a delay especially in relation to gathering evidence for
Peer Review.
In terms of the work being taken nationally Pan Birmingham Cancer
Network are currently ahead of other Networks and IT and the
Network Site Specific Group were congratulated on this.
The main issue surrounding the group is in relation to funding
especially for level 2 supervision and IT has been in communication
with Commissioners to identify how this problem can be addressed.
JD also informed the group about the CBT first aid training course
she had recently attended which had been run by Marie Curie
Hospice and the Department of Health. She had found the course
very useful and it had been very well attended. It is hoped that the
course can be provided again in Pan Birmingham Cancer Network
and a bid has been submitted to Macmillan Cancer Support for
funding for these courses.
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9. ACST – update
The group were informed that from April 2011 the ACST courses are
now being co-ordinated by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS
Foundation Trust and although funding has been agreed for
2011\2012 Trusts are being encouraged to send as many core Multi
Disciplinary Team members as possible to these courses.
It was outlined that a pilot project is being undertaken to ascertain
how feasible it is to provide this course over a 2 day period rather
than the current 3 days. At present this is still a pilot project and as
yet it is unclear how feasible this will be.
10. SPAGG – update
JD reported the next meeting is scheduled for 20 July 2011 and the
main issue to be discussed is in relation to the VTE audit. JD will
provide an update of discussions at the next meeting.
11. Any Other Business
There were no items of any other business.
12. Date and Time of Next Meeting
The date and time of the next meeting is Monday 17 October 2011 at
10.00 a.m. in Network Meeting Room 2, Birmingham Research Park.
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