Friday 7th September 2012
Laura Cooper, Teenage and Young People Information Nurse, on improving care for young people.
Cancer care for young people has improved considerably over the last 10 years, but it’s vital that we continue to improve care for this unique group of patients.
The period of change stems from guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) – Improving Outcomes in Children and Young People with Cancer.
The vision of wider national health and cancer policies is also key to the development of specialist cancer care for young people.
There are four main themes stemming from the guidelines that aim to shape care for this patient group. These are: psycho-social and supportive care; place of care; pathways of care and the multidisciplinary team; and improving the clinical outcomes. The guidance outlines the need for principal treatment centres (PTC) to address all of the themes.
There are now a number of Teenage Cancer Trust PTCs throughout the country providing specialist age appropriate care. The NICE guidelines are being implemented across England and Wales, while the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network has adopted the guidance and care across the nation appears to be heading in the right direction. There is still a lot more to be done, but it’s an exciting time in cancer care for young people.
Whether a young person has access to a PTC or not, it’s up to us, as health and social care professionals, to support the unique challenges young people with cancer face. You can read more about the issues affecting children and young people with cancer, and how Macmillan professionals are helping to improve care for this group, in this edition of Mac Voice.
1. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Improving Outcomes in Children and Young People with Cancer. 2005. NICE, London.
2. Pearce S. Policy and practice in teenage and young adult cancer care in England: Looking to the future. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2009. 13; 149–153.