Same-Day Emergency Cancer Care Service launches at Royal Surrey
Cancer patients in need of immediate medical attention can now access emergency care through a new Same-Day Emergency Care Oncology Service at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust.
This service offers rapid access to specialist treatment to make sure that patients receive the care they need without delay.
It is designed to address the urgent needs of patients who are suffering from acute cancer symptoms, caused by either their cancer treatment or condition.
It provides an alternative to a busy Emergency Department (A&E), where there can be long waits to be seen. The team hopes this will encourage more cancer patients with urgent needs to seek care earlier, as well as alleviate pressure on the Trust’s busy Emergency Department.
Sam Russell, Lead Acute Oncology Nurse who has led on the launch of the new service, said:
“We know too many cancer patients suffering from unpleasant symptoms, such as pain and vomiting, avoid or delay seeking treatment because they do not want to wait in a busy Emergency Department. This can leave patients in a lot of discomfort and lead to unnecessary hospital admissions.
“Our new same-day emergency care service for cancer provides a faster care alternative, where patients will immediately see a specialist who can tailor treatment to their needs.”
Patients using this emergency service will be treated by a team of cancer specialists, including nurses, trainee advanced clinical practitioners and a specialist registrar.
Services provided by Same-Day Emergency Oncology Service include:
- A dedicated hotline that patients can call anytime to book a timed appointment with a cancer specialist.
- Rapid assessment: once in their appointment, patients will be assessed by an oncology specialist to determine the most appropriate course of action.
- Diagnostics: Scans, ultrasounds and blood tests to investigate conditions further, if necessary, with results discussed with the patient on the day.
- A personalised treatment plan: oncology specialists will develop a care plan for each patient to alleviate their symptoms. These plans include a range of treatment options, such as prescribing medication, administering medication via an intravenous drip, reviewing a patient’s care plan and referral to other specialists.
The service, which launched earlier this summer, is open for appointments Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm, booking patients in on the same day who call or are referred before 3.30pm. Those who call or are referred after 3.30pm will usually get an early appointment the following day.
Next year, the team hope to be able to expand the service to seven days a week.
Louise Stead, Chief Executive, said:
“Our Trust is committed to continually improving our services and the Same-Day Oncology Emergency Care Service represents a significant step forward in oncology care, raising the standard for emergency cancer treatment. It demonstrates our dedication to meeting the urgent needs of cancer patients and delivering high-quality, compassionate care when it matters most.”
Royal Surrey is a leading specialist cancer centre with expertise in a wide range of cancers. It serves not only the population local to Royal Surrey but is also a regional referral centre for the South East and, in some cases, nationally. In 2022 around 8,500 people were treated for cancer at Royal Surrey.