The Christie expands chemotherapy treatments in Oldham
Date published: 16 December 2020
Eric Cooper uses the new Friday service at Doctor Kershaw’s Hospice
More cancer patients from the Oldham area can now have their treatment at Doctor Kershaw’s Hospice in Royton.
Clinically eligible patients can have their treatment at the Royton hospice on Fridays as well as Mondays.
The Christie has been running a chemotherapy clinic at the Royton hospice on Monday each week since October 2019.
As the clinic has proved to be very popular with patients it will now operate on both a Monday and Friday each week.
Since Friday, October 23, more cancer patients will receive their chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments closer to home.
With six treatment chairs, the clinic at Doctor Kershaw’s Hospice can treat between 15 and 20 patients each day.
At present, patients having treatment at The Christie in Withington may have to make a 40-50 mile round trip to receive chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
Doctor Kershaw’s Hospice is one of 14 sites throughout the North West to benefit from Christie chemotherapy services closer to home.
The Christie also operates an ‘At Home’ service providing treatment in patients’ homes.
One of the first patients (pictured) to use the new Friday service at Doctor Kershaw’s Hospice was Eric Cooper (63).
Eric was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2019.
He had surgery to put a stent in followed by chemotherapy and very recently a session of radiotherapy.
He has chemotherapy every two weeks and has visited Doctor Kershaw’s three times for treatment so far.
Describing the service, he said: “Having my treatment at Dr Kershaw’s is absolutely brilliant and everyone there is so friendly and will talk to you.
"It’s quicker than having to travel to Withington for chemotherapy.
“I feel very safe when I’m there and it’s very quiet.
"Nothing is too much trouble for them.
“The treatment area feels more like being in someone’s front room.
"It’s so calm and I immediately feel comfortable.
"There was even a TV to watch.
“The Christie phone you the day before to check you are ok to have the treatment and check you are ok before you leave.
"I’m only in for an hour.”
Stephanie Hechter, clinical service manager for chemotherapy outreach at The Christie, said: “The service at Doctor Kershaw’s Hospice has received some very positive feedback from patients in its first 12 months and we are pleased to be able to expand it to two days a week on Monday and Friday.
“It’s part of our pioneering care closer to home programme throughout the North West which provides services at 14 local sites, our Withington site and in patients’ homes through our ‘Christie At Home’ service.
“More than 25,000 chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments were delivered closer to home last year, benefitting around 12,000 patients. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how much these services benefit our patients.”
Adele Doherty, clinical matron at Doctor Kershaw’s Hospice, added: “We care for cancer patients every day, and are proud to have provided the hospice’s facilities to The Christie over the last year.
"The expansion of the service will further help to reduce the strain on cancer patients in the Oldham area, providing a more convenient patient journey, something that’s even more important in light of current COVID-19 restrictions.”
The Christie chemotherapy and immunotherapy network of local centres includes:
Clinics at hospital trusts in Bolton, Leighton (Crewe), Macclesfield, Oldham, Stockport, Tameside and Wigan.
Nurse led clinics at Arden House Medical Practice in New Mills, Bury Townside Primary Care Centre, Dr Kershaw’s Hospice Royton and St Luke’s (Cheshire) Hospice.
The mobile chemotherapy unit in Bolton, Eccles and Stretford
An ‘at home’ service of nurses providing treatment in a patient’s home.
Blood test clinics at Bolton Hospice, Bury Hospice, Oldham Integrated Care Centre and St Luke’s (Cheshire) Hospice
Anyone interested in finding out more about Christie chemotherapy and immunotherapy services in the community can contact the team on 0161 918 7654.
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust was the first specialist trust to be rated as ‘Outstanding’ twice (in 2016 and 2018) by the health regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
It referred to The Christie as ‘a leader in cancer care’ and ‘a pioneer in developing innovative solutions to cancer care.’
The CQC praised the Trust’s staff which it said ‘go the extra mile to meet the needs of patients and their families’ and that they were ‘exceptionally kind and caring.’
In 2017, the CQC rated The Christie as the best specialist trust in the country, and one of the top three trusts overall in England.
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