integrated therapies pioneering research

Life demands excellence
magazine – summer 2011
Targeted
treatment
Personalised, accurate and safe:
pioneering radiotherapy explained
INTEGRATED
THERAPIES
Art and music therapies offer
patients a holistic approach
PIONEERING
RESEARCH
The latest skin cancer
drug breakthrough
Hospital updates / Foundation news / Carer support / Great prizes / Staff stories
RM7_pp01_Cover_des2.indd 1
27/05/2011 14:06
At The Royal Marsden, we deal
with cancer every day, so we
understand how valuable life is.
And when people entrust their
lives to us, they have the right
to demand the very best. That’s
why the pursuit of excellence lies
at the heart of everything we do.
RM7_pp02-3_Mission_Cally_des5.indd 2
26/05/2011 10:58
e x e c u t i v e n ot e s
Welcome
to the summer edition of
RM, The Royal Marsden’s
magazine for our staff,
patients, carers and
Foundation Trust Members
“we are
making
outstanding
progress in
radiotherapy
treatments”
I was honoured to be invited to the Royal Wedding in
April as a representative of the hospital and charity. As our
President, The Duke of Cambridge is always interested in,
and supportive of, our work, staff and patients, so it was
a great pleasure to be a part of such a historic event on
behalf of The Royal Marsden (see page 26).
As 2011 is the national Year of Radiotherapy, in this issue
we profile the hospital’s world-leading Radiotherapy Unit,
where we are making outstanding progress in tailoring
radiotherapy treatments to individual patients’ needs.
Recently, we became one of the first London NHS Trusts
to install the latest in radiotherapy technology, CyberKnife,
which is due to start treating patients in July (see page 12).
On 1 April, The Royal Marsden became the new provider
of Sutton and Merton Community Services. This is a
very exciting development for the Trust and means that
the hospital will manage a range of community services,
including health visitors, specialist community nurses
and outpatient physiotherapy in the Sutton and Merton
area. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome
Community Service staff to the Trust (see page 10).
Finally, despite the early Sunday morning start, I was
delighted to see so many patients, staff and supporters
take part in our first ever Marsden March (see page 20).
The 2,000 walkers raised money for The Royal Marsden
Cancer Charity by walking between our Chelsea and
Sutton hospitals. I would like to thank everyone who
took part and made it such a moving and successful day.
I hope you enjoy this issue.
Cally Palmer, Chief Executive, The Royal Marsden
RMMagazine 03
RM7_pp02-3_Mission_Cally_des5.indd 3
26/05/2011 10:58
T h i s i ss u e
Contents
05 Inbox
Your letters and views.
You can
now read
isit
RM online! V
hs.uk
.n
en
sd
royalmar
to download
your copy
today
12
06 Hospital news
The latest updates and developments.
Pioneering treatments continue to
push boundaries and get results.
12 Spotlight on radiotherapy
16 A creative approach
The freedom to explore emotions
with art therapy and music therapy.
18 A day in the life
With Tessa Renouf, Senior Staff Nurse
on the Admissions and Pre-assessment
Unit (Chelsea).
The first ever Marsden March
and other fundraising news.
20 Fundraising
20
16
23 The Friends
Catch up with The Friends of
The Royal Marsden Chelsea
and The Royal Marsden Sutton.
23 Patient and Carer
Advisory Group
18
Help Centre support, the Listening
Post and other updates from the Patient and Carer Advisory Group.
25 Staff news
Your chance to see the new
staff intranet and more.
Trust and Membership events,
diary dates and updates.
28 Foundation news
30 Teabreak teasers
Test yourself and win a prize!
Meet the RM team
For The Royal Marsden
Rachael Reeve
Director of Marketing and
Communications – Editor
Naomi Owen
PR and Communications
Manager – Sub Editor
Belinda Payne
Senior Press Officer
– Sub Editor
Catherine O’Mara
Senior Press Officer
– Sub Editor
Marie-Thérèse Wright
Communications Assistant
– Production Manager
Tell us what you think of the
magazine or let us know of
any suggestions for future
issues. Send an email to RM.
[email protected] or
write to RM magazine, Press
Office, The Royal Marsden
Hospital, 203 Fulham Road,
London SW3 6JJ.
Tel: 020 7811 8244.
For Sunday
Lucy Ryan Editor
Amy Tomkys
Sub Editor
Catherine Hopkinson
Art Director
Lindsay Williams
Account Director
Matthew Beaven
Creative Director
Toby Smeeton
Managing Director
RM magazine is published
by The Royal Marsden
Hospital in partnership
with Sunday
www.sundaypublishing.com
© The Royal Marsden 2011. All
rights reserved. Reproduction
in whole or part is prohibited
without prior permission of the
editor. The Royal Marsden and
Sunday accept no responsibility
for the views expressed by
contributors to the magazine.
Repro by F1 Colour.
Printed by Scanplus.
04 royalmarsden.nhs.uk
RM7_pp04-5_Con&Letters_des4.indd 4
31/05/2011 16:06
YO U R L E T T E R S
Inbox
YOUR HOSPITAL, YOUR VIEWS
We’d love to hear from you. Email [email protected]
or you can write to us at RM, Press Office, The Royal Marsden,
203 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JJ
S
LETTAR
TER
Professional in every way
I must forward my words of thanks to all
the staff at The Royal Marsden, Sutton.
My wife Rachel was diagnosed with
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in April
2010 and was referred to Dr Claire Dearden.
We have visited Claire twice since Christmas
and have been so impressed by the professional
nature and genuine warmth of all the staff we have
encountered. From having a cup of tea in the cafe,
to having blood tests and a bone marrow sample,
everyone has been so focused on making our
visit as pleasant as possible. Being seen by
such a knowledgeable consultant has given us
so much confidence in dealing with the illness.
Thankfully, Rachel has now been told that there
is no sign of the disease and she has had the best
possible outcome following her treatment. We can
seek to have some normality in our lives again,
safe in the knowledge that an excellent team of
staff are on the end of the phone if we need them.
Duncan and Rachel Moxey
Dear Duncan and Rachel, I was very touched
to receive a copy of the email which you sent to
RM magazine. Your very kind words will be much
appreciated by all the staff. Thank you so much
for taking the time to relay your experience of
treatment here at The Royal Marsden. We always
value patient feedback very highly and it is
particularly rewarding to hear that you had
such a positive experience.
Dr Claire Dearden, Consultant Haemato Oncologist
Top marks
Dear Roy, Thank you for taking
the time to write to us about the
treatment and care you received
at The Royal Marsden. It is
fantastic when we receive such
thoughtful and positive feedback,
as it is a great morale boost to all
of the dedicated staff employed
here. I’m so glad that your
treatment has been successful
and that you’ve been able to
enjoy the fun and laughter
that grandchildren bring.
Shelley Dollan, Chief Nurse
Dear Diane, I’m delighted that
you enjoyed the article about
our new Centre for Children and
Young People in the last issue.
Certainly all of us who have
been involved with the project
are incredibly excited by our
fantastic new environment and
have been overwhelmed by the
great response from patients
and families alike. Thank you
for your encouraging comments.
Lindsay Macfarlane,
Service Manager
Support for CyberKnife
Back to my old life
Dear John, We are delighted to
hear your daughter has been
raising money for Cyberknife,
and we’re really excited to be one
of the first NHS London providers
of the facility. Thank you for your
continued interest.
Sarah Bateson, Head of Fundraising
What a fantastic article on
the Centre for Children and
Young People in the last issue
of RM magazine. All the facilities
sound amazing, especially the
outdoor roof terrace and a
schoolroom on each floor for the
young patients to do their school,
college or university work. It is
truly inspirational and I thought
the pictures represent how happy
and positive everyone seems.
Diane Herke
In March 1998, I was diagnosed
with a Primary Cerebral
Lymphoma. I was operated on
at another hospital and was told
that it had been too dangerous
to remove the tumour. I was then
transferred to The Royal Marsden
at Sutton where I was placed
under the care of Professor Michael
Brada and his team. I was advised
by Dr Frank Saran that my
tumour required aggressive
treatment – both chemotherapy
and radiotherapy.
When I asked him, “And then
what?”, he replied that the intention
was, “to give me my old life back”.
That was good enough for me.
Thirteen years on, I have annual
visits to the clinic. Over the years, I
have seen many different registrars
and every one of them gave me
the same professional care. My
treatment finished in August 1998
and, since then, I have seen my
youngest son marry – we now
have three lovely grandchildren.
Roy Tratt
After discharge in spring 2010 from
treatment at The Royal Marsden,
I have since undergone Cyberknife
treatment in one of the few existing
UK facilities. When hearing that
The Royal Marsden was now
building its own Cyberknife facility,
my daughter nominated The
Royal Marsden as her Paris
Marathon charity and designated
the Cyberknife fund as beneficiary.
So far she has raised over £1,000.
John Washington
WIN
WRITE & WIN!
The writer of next
issue’s Star Letter
will enjoy £50 of
John Lewis vouchers.
For a chance to win, write to RM,
Press Office, The Royal Marsden,
Fulham Road, Chelsea, London
SW3 6JJ or email your letter to
[email protected]
by Friday 5 August 2011.
See p30 for rules of entry.
RMMAGAZINE 05
RM7_pp04-5_Con&Letters_des4.indd 5
26/05/2011 11:05
the r oya l
marsden
round-up
hosptial NEWS, views and hot topics
Alan Thompson,
Head of the Urology
Unit and Consultant
Urologist Surgeon.
Testicular cancer
Head of the Urology Unit Mr Alan
Thompson provides the answers
What exactly is
testicular cancer?
Testicular cancer is a
disease in which cells become
cancerous in one, or sometimes
both, testicles. Testicular cancers
are classified as seminomas or
non-seminomas (also called
germ cell tumours), based on
the characteristics of the cells
in the tumour. Some testicular
tumours may contain both types
of cells. Other types of cancer
can arise in the testicles, but
they are extremely rare.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptom
is a painless lump or swelling
in part of one testicle. Other
symptoms include the sudden
accumulation of fluid in the scrotum
and/or pain or discomfort in the
testicle or lower abdomen. In
a small number of men, the
symptoms will be because of
spread of the tumour and may
include a lump in the neck, difficulty
in breathing, back pain and bowel
disturbances. Men should examine
their testicles regularly.
What causes
testicular cancer?
We don’t know the exact
cause. Factors that predispose a
man to developing it include a
history of undescended testicles
that required surgery as a child, a
family history of testicular cancer
and infertility.
How common is
testicular cancer?
Testicular cancer is rare.
It is most common in men aged 20
to 40 and, in the UK, it occurs in
around seven men per 100,000.
How is it diagnosed?
A suspected diagnosis is
made after clinical and
ultrasound examination, and blood
tests. The testicle will then be
removed and examined in the
pathology department, where the
diagnosis will be confirmed. Once
a positive diagnosis is made, other
tests, such as CT scanning, will be
performed to check for any spread.
How is it treated?
The majority of tumours are
cured by surgically removing
the testicle. For patients at risk of
the tumour spreading, or for
patients in whom spread has
already occurred, chemotherapy
and radiotherapy may be used.
What is the outlook?
Testicular cancer has become
one of the most curable solid
cancers. Overall, the outlook is
very good, with more than 95 per
cent being cured of the disease.
What research are you
currently working on?
Most of the research around
testicular cancer is based on
trying to improve the outcome
for those patients who are not
currently cured of the disease.
This involves the use of new
combinations of chemotherapy
drugs. Research is also being
performed to try and establish
the genetic changes that may
predispose a man to the disease.
Case study
Jon Cohen
“My wife and I had been trying
for a baby for a while when
I noticed I had a swollen right
testicle. The doctor said it was
probably an infection, sending
me off with antibiotics and a
referral for an ultra sound ‘just in
case’. After the ultra sound, they
said I had a lump. Everything
moved quickly then.
“I had my testicle removed
and was given the option of a
one-off dose of chemotherapy to
reduce the chance of relapse, but
I decided not to. Instead, I was
put on a programme where I had
check-ups every three months.
“At the six-month check, I was
told the cancer had spread. It
was a blow, but the prognosis
was still good. I had a one-off
dose of chemotherapy and am
about to start a three-week
cycle of low-dose radiation.
“It has been difficult – cancer
is such a loaded word, and often
men don’t want to talk about it.
But after everything, my advice
to other men is to make sure you
check regularly for lumps and
don’t be shy about it. Testicular
cancer is almost always curable
if it’s caught early enough.”
“check regularly
for lumps and
don’t be shy
about it”
Jon Cohen.
06 royalmarsden.nhs.uk
RM7_Pp06-07_News_Testicular_des4.indd 6
26/05/2011 11:09
h o s p i ta l n e w s
a decade
of customer
service
excellence
In clinical trials, Dr James
Larkin’s work has shown a major
breakthrough in the treatment
of advanced melanoma.
Biggest melanoma treatment
breakthrough in 30 years
A phase III study led in the UK
by The Royal Marsden’s Dr
James Larkin (above) has shown
a major breakthrough in the
treatment of advanced melanoma.
Early results from the trial show
that a new pill extends both
progression-free and overall
survival, compared to standard
chemotherapy in patients with
advanced malignant melanoma
and a BRAF genetic mutation.
The BRAF protein is key for
normal cell growth and survival,
and mutations may lead to cancer.
This is the first time an
investigational medicine designed
to target a specific genetic
abnormality has been shown to
extend the lives of patients with
advanced melanoma – the most
aggressive form of skin cancer.
Melanoma is now the second most
common cancer in young adults
aged 15 to 34 in the UK, affecting
almost twice as many young
women as young men.
Approximately half of patients
with advanced melanoma have the
BRAF genetic mutation, which
drives the cancer cells to grow and
spread. The new pill targets and
blocks the mutated protein, causing
tumours to shrink. Based on the
strength of trial results, the study
was amended so that all patients
on the trial who have been
receiving standard chemotherapy
were offered treatment with the pill.
“This is an incredibly exciting
breakthrough,” said lead researcher
Dr Larkin. “The disease is very
hard to treat, so with rates rising
in younger people, the trial results
are very encouraging.”
“this is an incredibly exciting breakthrough. Malignant
melanoma is very hard to treat, so with rates rising in
younger people, the trial results are very encouraging”
The Royal Marsden has
once again achieved the
government’s Customer
Service Excellence standard.
The standard was
developed to help public
services drive customerfocused change and the
Trust has now held it, and
its forerunner the Charter
Mark, since 1992. There is
a particular focus on delivery,
timelines, professionalism
and staff attitude.
A small team, including two
members of the Patient and
Carer Advisory Group, oversee
planning to meet the standard
each year.
Work undertaken over
the last 12 months includes
the setting of targets for the
real-time patient survey carried
out in the medical day units. It
also includes identification by
the patient representatives of
a selection of informal patient
comments with associated
actions for display in public
areas, and development of a
Customer Service Excellence
section on the Trust’s website.
Another piece of work was the
audit of the response to email
and telephone enquiries
against the Trust’s customer
service policy, all of which
had excellent findings.
The Trust’s customer service
telephone policy, for example,
expects staff to greet callers
and identify themselves by
name and department. Staff
should also aim to answer the
telephone within three rings.
A total of 75 calls were
received when observing
six departments for a 60–90
minute period in each. Out
of the external phone calls,
34 out of 38 (89 per cent)
were answered in three rings.
RMMagazine 07
RM7_Pp06-07_News_Testicular_des4.indd 7
26/05/2011 11:09
CRACKING
DOWN ON
FRAUD
Every NHS Trust in the country
is now required to have a Local
Counter Fraud Specialist to
help prevent fraud and protect
taxpayers’ money.
Local Counter Fraud
Specialists have undergone
training to detect and
investigate fraud within the
NHS. From investigative
backgrounds, they have the
knowledge and experience to
help and advise anyone who
may have concerns on the
issue. Countering fraud and
corruption in the NHS is all our
responsibility: every penny lost
to fraud is lost to patient care.
If you suspect fraud in the
Trust environment:
do make an immediate
note of your concerns
do report your suspicions to
someone with the appropriate
authority and experience
do deal with the matter
promptly if you feel your
concerns are warranted
don’t approach or accuse
individuals directly or try to
investigate the matter yourself
don’t tell anyone other than
those with the proper authority.
Local Counter Fraud
Specialist Sarah CooperJames can be contacted on
020 7480 4778 or sarah.
[email protected]
Bribery Act 2010
In July 2011, the new
Bribery Act comes into force.
Under the new Act, if a Trust
employee is found to have
committed an act of bribery,
their employer will also face
prosecution. If you have any
concerns, please contact
our appointed officer, Janice
Stephens, Assistant Director
of Finance, on 020 7808
2155 or email her at janice.
[email protected]
THANK YOU
Winning team:
led by Dr Andreyev
(second from left).
Thanks to the generosity of
Marek Kwiatkowski’s family,
the Occupational Therapy
department at Chelsea has
received two new wheelchairs.
Marek’s family raised £500 in
his memory to buy the chairs.
While at The Royal Marsden,
Marek used one of our
wheelchairs to see a Fulham
Football Club away match in
Hamburg and his family were
keen to buy the chairs to say
thank you and help others.
MAGIC results
A multidisciplinary team lead
by Dr Jervoise Andreyev,
Consultant Gastroenterologist
in Pelvic Radiation Disease,
was selected as one of the
winners at an awards programme,
held at the British Society of
Gastroenterology’s annual meeting
in March this year. The Movetis
MAGIC award, a new awards
programme in gastroenterology,
recognises excellence and
innovation in patient care.
Dr Andreyev’s team was
awarded a prize for their work:
“A Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Service for Patients
with Pelvic Radiation Disease”.
Marek’s wife
Sally and family
friend Simon with
the wheelchairs.
Patient passport is go
NEW PASSPORT SYSTEM TO OFFER EVEN BETTER PERSONAL CARE
At The Royal Marsden, we want
to ensure that people with learning
disabilities receive care that is
tailored to any specific additional
needs. To support this, the Trust is
launching a ‘patient passport’ for
those with learning disabilities.
This is an invaluable tool to
record patient details that will help
hospital staff to better understand
the needs of the patient and make
them aware of things they
otherwise may not know. Patients’
likes and dislikes, details of their
parent/carer and medication or
any extra support they may need
will all be information highlighted
in the new passports.
In addition, staff training will take
place and the Trust is also
designing communication books
has been well received.
for individual clinical areas so that
If you have any feedback on
staff can build on their ability to
how we can improve the service,
communicate effectively with
please contact Scott Pollock on
people with learning disabilities.
020 7808 2816.
Another exciting development is
the buddy system. Patients with
a learning disability will be asked
at registration, or at any point
throughout their treatment at
The Royal Marsden, if they
New
would like a buddy – a
patient
qualified staff member
passports will
help staff
who acts as a support to
My Hospital Pass
to tailor care to
port
the patient and their
meet unique
carer throughout their
needs
treatment. Having shared
this idea with a number of
people with learning disabilities
and parents/carers, the buddy role
Supporting people
with learning disabil
My name is
The name of my
Telephone No.
Royal Marsden Buddy
ities coming to The
Royal Marsden
is:
If I have to go to
hospital, this book
needs to go with
It gives hospital
me.
staff important informa
tion about me.
Please place this
on the end of my
bed and put a copy
in my notes.
This passport belong
s to me. Please
return it when I
am discharged.
08 ROYALMARSDEN.NHS.UK
RM7_pp08-09_News_passport_des5.indd 8
27/05/2011 14:09
H O S P I TA L N E W S
Sutton and Cheam MP
Paul Burstow meets
a young patient at the
new Centre for Children
and Young People.
WALLACE
WING TO GET
A MAKEOVER
Work on the major refurbishment
and new build of both the entrance
of Wallace Wing in Chelsea and
the Radiotherapy reception area
will begin in July. The entrance
lobby will be modernised and
enlarged to facilitate the large
volume of patients that use the
entrance and communal waiting
area. New patient consultation and
interview rooms will also support
patients wishing to make enquires
around transportation and facilities,
or those requiring brief periods of
privacy. Work is due to complete
in spring next year.
MORE AWARDS FOR
DR LESLEY EDWARDS
The state-of-the-art schoolroom
allows patients to continue their
school, college or university
studies under the guidance
of Bette Petersen Broyd, Lead
Teacher of Hospital Education,
and her team.
“We were delighted to welcome
Mr Burstow back,” said Bette.
“It was wonderful to show him the
new facilities which give patients
the chance to continue their
education with a sense of normality
during a very difficult time.”
“I KNEW I’D SEE SOMETHING SPECIAL TODAY, BUT I DIDN’T REALISE
HOW SPECIAL. THE ROYAL MARSDEN IS THE CRÈME DE LA CRÈME”
s
Bo
ne
Marrow D
on
ion
The Royal Marsden, Chelsea
MPs Siân James, Nia Griffith and
Jim Dobbin visited The Royal
Marsden’s Skin Unit, followed by
a tour of the Rapid Diagnostic and
Assessment Centre (RDAC).
Ms James campaigned to ban
the use of sunbeds by under-18s,
which became law in April. She
continues to raise awareness of
the signs and symptoms of skin
cancer through chairing the
Melanoma Taskforce, an expert
group which is calling for
improvements in government
policy to halt the rise of melanoma.
Mr Andrew Hayes, Head of the
Skin Unit at The Royal Marsden,
said: “Malignant melanoma is the
fastest-growing cancer in the UK.
Patients have complex needs and
require multidisciplinary care, so it
was great to have the opportunity
to discuss some of these issues.”
Ms James said: “I knew I’d see
something special today, but I
didn’t realise quite how special.
The Royal Marsden really is the
crème de la crème.”
at
The Royal Marsden, Sutton
Sutton and Cheam MP Paul
Burstow visited young patients,
their families and staff at The
Royal Marsden’s new Centre for
Children and Young People earlier
this year. Following a visit to the
Centre in December, Mr Burstow
returned to see the Centre’s brand
new schoolroom in operation.
“I was very impressed by the
dedication of the staff, and pleased
to see what a friendly environment
it is for the young patients,” said
Mr Burstow, who was made
Minister of State (Care Services)
in May last year. “Education
can be one of many aspects of
normal life which vanish following
a diagnosis of cancer, so it is
fantastic that this centre will allow
children to continue their studies.”
ss
’
SUTTON AND CHELSEA SITES WELCOME MINISTERIAL GUESTS
Je
MPs visit both hospitals
Dr Lesley Edwards, Consultant
Clinical Psychologist and Lead
Consultant for the Paediatric
and Psychological Medicine
Service Group, has won a
British Medical Association
(BMA) Patient Information
Award for the third year
running. The awards recognise
quality in patient information
leaflets and online resources
and encourge information
materials designed to improve
patient understanding of health
issues and treatment options.
Dr Edwards’s 2010 award
was for Jess’s Bone Marrow
Donation, a guide aimed at
child bone marrow donors.
Her other two awards from the
previous two years were for
Pupils with Cancer – A Guide
for Teachers and Facing the
Death of Your Child.
A children’s guide to Bone Marrow Donation
Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group - www.cclg.org.uk
RMMAGAZINE 09
RM7_pp08-09_News_passport_des5.indd 9
26/05/2011 15:09
Mount Vernon
Cancer Centre
Partnership
Our new Community
Services partnership
The Royal Marsden is the new provider of Sutton
and Merton Community Services. we find out more
long-term illness. By becoming a provider of
In April, The Royal Marsden was confirmed as
Sutton and Merton Community Services, we
the provider of Sutton and Merton Community
can offer patients an improved pathway and
Services. Consequently, the Trust manages
essential continuity of care from hospital to
a range of community services including health
home. Cancer patients face a long and complex
visitors, specialist community nurses, outpatient
journey involving different types of treatment
physiotherapy, podiatry, falls service and
from many agencies. It is therefore essential that
children’s physiotherapy in the Sutton and
effective communication and seamless care is
Merton area. Community Services has become
provided by all partners in this pathway:
a separate Community Services Division
GPs, district nurses, ambulance staff,
within The Royal Marsden and will
hospice staff, volunteers and the
be led by a Divisional Director.
“We can
acute trusts. The objective is to
However, the name of Sutton
improve the continuity of care
and Merton Community
offer patients
for people with long-term
Services remains the same
an essential
conditions to ensure safe and
and the same clinical teams
continuity of care
speedy discharge from hospital
are delivering local services
from hospital
back into the community.
in the community. Chief
to home”
Providing Sutton and Merton
Executive Cally Palmer has
Community Services also enables
overall responsibility for the
patients with other long-term
service, with Chief Operating Officer
conditions the opportunity to benefit from
David Probert leading on all operational
our ethos of personalised care, evidence-based
matters and Chief Nurse Shelley Dolan
medicine and excellence in care.
as the professional lead for all clinical staff.
We would like to take this opportunity to
At The Royal Marsden our philosophy is
welcome Sutton and Merton Community
based on the delivery of high-quality, seamless
Services staff to the Trust and we are delighted
care to patients and their families and we
that they are joining us.
are committed to doing so locally in our
For more information about Sutton and
communities to support the NHS agenda
Merton Community Services, please visit
of providing care closer to home.
www.smcs.nhs.uk
More people are living with cancer as a
It has been a year since The Royal Marsden,
The Institute of Cancer Research and Mount
Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC) launched
their new academic partnership and joined
together the clinical and translational
research excellence to help turn early-stage
innovations into new treatments for patients.
Clinical researchers from all organisations
have been working together since the
launch in June 2010 in the fields of
radiotherapy, drug therapy, and supportive
and palliative care.
Dr Paul Nathan is Mount Vernon’s Director
of Research and Development and has been
a consultant there for eight years. “A lot of
work has been undertaken over the past
year and it is a true partnership in the very
real sense,” he said. “There is genuine
support for the partnership and staff believe
there are huge opportunities going forward.”
One major development is the move
towards having a single research and
development department, enabling us to
become one of the largest European
research institutions recruiting patients to
trials. To help make this possible, two new
Royal Marsden posts based at Mount
Vernon have been created, including a
Research and Development Administrator.
Senior members of the clinical research
community at MVCC are now represented
on leading research committees at the ICR
and The Royal Marsden. Staff from tumour
and research groups from all three
organisations now meet to generate new
ideas, talk about strategies and to realise
opportunities for shared posts and benefits
for cancer patients and their families.
A Challenge Fund has also been set up
to help fund research work that boosts
partnership working between the three
organisations. Shelley Dolan, Chief Nurse for
The Royal Marsden, said: “The partnership
will enable us to take clinical research
forward quickly for the benefit of patients.”
“There is a genuine
enthusiasm and
support for the
partnership”
5,00
10 royalmarsden.nhs.uk
RM7_pp10-11_News_outreach_des2.indd 10
26/05/2011 11:18
h o s p i ta l n e w s
The Critical Care Outreach Team in the
new Critical Care Unit at the Chelsea site.
Did you know?
Critical Care Outreach team
Critical Care is a constant,
round-the-clock specialty at The
Royal Marsden, providing
emergency care to our patients
when they need it most across both
hospital sites. A vital part of the
service is the 12-strong Critical
Care Outreach Team (CCOT), a
team of specialist intensive care
nurses who aim to ‘bridge the gap’
between services provided within
the Critical Care Unit (CCU) and
the wards and outpatient areas of
the Chelsea and Sutton sites.
The team is led by Clinical Nurse
5,000
RM7_pp10-11_News_outreach_des2.indd 11
Specialist in Cancer Critical Care
Andrew Dimech, and Team
Leaders Simon Cartmail (Sutton)
and Lara Roskelly (Chelsea).
CCOT works closely with
ward-based medical, nursing and
allied-health staff to teach and
support them in how to recognise
when a patient’s health is at risk of
deteriorating. In addition, the team
provides specialist care for patients
who are critically ill, processing
admissions to the Critical Care Unit
and providing input following a
patient’s discharge from Critical
Care, as well as providing
a cardiac arrest service.
As a result, and taking into
account the severity of cases the
Critical Care Unit treats, The Royal
Marsden’s survival rates for critical
care patients are over twice the
national average.
“We are proud of the strong
links with the many multidisciplinary teams we work with
on a daily basis,” said Andrew,
who has worked at the Trust for
10 years. “This teamwork allows
us to deliver this high level of care.”
■ The Royal Marsden was
the first hospital in the
country to open a cancer
specific Critical Care Unit
(CCU) in 2000.
■ A new state-of-the-art
£10 million CCU was
opened at Chelsea in 2010,
providing the only level 3
critical care facility in the
UK for cancer patients.
■ There are 19 beds in the
CCU: 12 in the Intensive
Care Unit (ICU) and 7 in the
High Dependency Unit (HDU).
■ The CCU has dedicated
rooms for teenagers.
RMMagazine 11
27/05/2011 13:12
RM7_pp12-15_Radiotherapy_des6.indd 12
26/05/2011 11:20
H O S P I TA L F E AT U R E
Dr Vincent Khoo, Head
of the Radiotherapy
Unit, discusses linear
accelerator treatment
with a patient.
Radiotherapy:
spotlight on
groundbreaking
treatment
radiotherapy is pushing cancer treatment boundaries.
We look at the latest advances at the royal marsden
In 1911, pioneer of early
radiotherapy Marie Curie was
awarded the Nobel Prize in
Chemistry. To mark this milestone
and the success of radiotherapy
as a treatment for cancer, 2011
has been designated the Year
of Radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy is the medical
application of ionising radiation
as part of a cancer treatment to
kill and control malignant cancer
cells and to shrink tumours. It is
now seen in medical circles as
one of the most successful forms
of cancer treatment, either on its
own or in combination with
surgery or chemotherapy.
Compared to chemotherapy,
which can destroy healthy as
well as cancerous cells,
radiotherapy is a more precise
and targeted form of treatment
and, as such, has fewer effects
on the rest of the body. It can
spare patients from undergoing
radical surgery and is also
highly cost-effective.
Despite the advances, the
public perception of radiotherapy
remains negative – a recent
YouGov survey shows that
few people rate it as a modern
cancer treatment and many
fear it. To help challenge these
misconceptions and promote
radiotherapy as a modern,
precise and personalised
treatment, The Royal Marsden
has joined forces with other
organisations, including Cancer
Research UK, for a National
Radiotherapy Awareness Initiative.
As Europe’s leading cancer
centre, The Royal Marsden
provides a comprehensive
radiotherapy service. For decades,
we have been paving the way for
groundbreaking research, and the
latest treatments and technologies.
Radiotherapy can be given in
different ways. The most common
uses a machine called a linear
accelerator that delivers radiation
in beams shaped to the tumour
from outside the body. Previously
called teletherapy (derived from
the Greek word tele, meaning
long distance), it is now more
frequently known as external
beam radiotherapy. Another
common method is brachytherapy
(from the Greek word brachy,
meaning short distance). Here,
radioactive sources are placed
inside the body, near or on the
“We give
treatment here
as standard that
is considered
groundbreaking
elsewhere”
RMMagazine 13
RM7_pp12-15_Radiotherapy_des6.indd 13
26/05/2011 11:21
H O S P I TA L F E AT U R E
tumour, or administered in a
soluble form by an IV injection
into the blood stream.
World experts
Dr Vincent Khoo, Head of the
Radiotherapy Unit at The Royal
Marsden, is proud to be at the
forefront of radiotherapy treatment.
“What makes The Royal Marsden
unique is that our patients have
access to all types of cancer
treatment under one roof, under
the care of world experts in their
fields,” he said. “We are
comprehensive in all aspects
of patient care and can treat all
tumours using the latest treatment
techniques and technologies.
Our radiotherapy services are an
excellent example of this. We have
two units: one is based in Chelsea
and the other is a £25 million unit
in a state-of-the-art environment,
which opened at Sutton in 2007.
Together, the units house 11
linear accelerators.
“At The Royal Marsden, we
have developed the concept of
personalised medicine, so that
patients get treatment tailored
to their cancer. Radiotherapy
is one of the best forms of
personalised treatment, as each
patient’s radiotherapy plans are
individualised and shaped in 3D
to the tumour being treated. We
give treatment here as standard
that is considered groundbreaking
elsewhere. For example, we’ve
been offering Intensity Modulated
Radiotherapy (IMRT) with Image
Guidance for the past decade
to ensure radiation is delivered
accurately to the tumour.”
Recently, The Royal Marsden
became one of the first London
NHS Trusts to install the latest
in radiotherapy technology,
CyberKnife, which is due to
start treating patients in July.
Our CyberKnife is based at the
Chelsea site and will be available
for NHS patients with tumours in
the prostate, pancreas, liver, lung,
spine, brain, and head and neck.
CyberKnife has a robotic arm
and image sensors that track a
moving target – the tumour –
allowing for hundreds of radiation
beams from many angles to be
delivered with pinpoint accuracy.
As the technology enables large
doses of radiotherapy to be
delivered with far more accuracy,
the patient requires fewer hospital
visits. For example, visits for lung
cancer patients could be reduced
from 30 to just three.
Research breakthroughs
The Royal Marsden is also at
the forefront of major research
breakthroughs. We are the first UK
hospital to implement Volumetric
Modulated Arc Therapy, a
treatment machine that can
deliver radiotherapy in continuous
sweeping arcs. This technology
allows us to deliver a faster, more
Radiotherapy: the facts
Radiotherapy has been
used as a cancer treatment
for more than 100 years.
It has been offered as a
treatment at The Royal
Marsden since the 1920s.
Patients being treated with
radiotherapy at The Royal
Marsden have access to
groundbreaking trials, with
80 per cent of them choosing
to go on one.
Treatment is very quick.
On average, a treatment
session lasts just 10 minutes.
Side effects are a cause
of anxiety for some people.
However, advances in
technology mean treatment
can be more targeted and
side effects less severe.
Hair loss occurs only in the
area being treated, and few
people suffer from sickness.
Of those cured of their
cancer, it is estimated that
radiotherapy contributes to
that cure in 40 per cent of
cases, either alone or in
combination with other
treatments such as surgery.
accurate treatment, potentially
involving fewer visits and
decreasing recovery time.
In addition, the PARSPORT
trial run by The Royal Marsden
and The Institute of Cancer
Research (ICR) tested the new
IMRT technique for giving
radiotherapy to people with head
and neck cancer. This treatment
enables more accurate targeting of
the patient’s tumour and helps
avoid damage to the salivary
glands – a common side effect that
can cause serious problems with
speech and eating or swallowing.
Effective treatments
The Royal Marsden and ICR
have also led the START trials,
which showed that lower overall
radiotherapy dosing given in
fewer, but larger amounts, was
as effective as the international
standard dosage regimen. This
research has defined a new
radiotherapy treatment standard
for women with early-stage
breast cancer in the UK.
Dr Khoo and his team believe
that technological advances
can result in even more effective
radiotherapy treatments.
“By investing in the latest
technologies and facilities, and
by testing research breakthroughs
in quality clinical studies, we can
deliver a safe, personalised and
accurate treatment,” says Dr Khoo.
“Most importantly, radiotherapy
can treat a patient’s tumour
effectively, so they can go
on to enjoy life beyond cancer.”
For more information, please
visit www.royalmarsden.
nhs.uk/diagnosis-treatment/
treatment/radiotherapy
14 royalmarsden.nhs.uk
RM7_pp12-15_Radiotherapy_des6.indd 14
26/05/2011 11:21
RMMagazine 13
RM7_pp12-15_Radiotherapy_des6.indd 15
26/05/2011 11:21
Art and Music
Therapies:
an integrated
approach
holistic therapies help patients to
explore their emotions in a creative
and supportive environment
RM7_pp16-17_Art_Therapy_des4.indd 16
26/05/2011 11:33
H O S P I TA L F E AT U R E
Personalised medicine is a huge
priority at The Royal Marsden.
Shelley Dolan, Chief Nurse,
recognises that a holistic
approach provides patients
with treatment and care that
is tailored to their needs.
“When people have a difficult
diagnosis and undergo
challenging treatment, it’s key
that we are aware of all their
needs and plan their care
accordingly,” says Shelley.
“In addition to personalised
molecular diagnostics, which
allows targeted therapy for the
individual, we ensure that every
patient gets access to care that is
crafted for them. This integrated
care – which includes supportive
elements such as art therapy or
music therapy – is interwoven
with main cancer treatments to
sustain, comfort and support the
patient through the treatment.”
Art therapy
“When you are diagnosed with
or are receiving treatment for
cancer, it can bring up a whole
range of feelings that can be
difficult,” explains Art Therapist
Mimi Potworowska. “These might
centre around your illness, or past
or present personal circumstances.
Expressing these feelings with a
trained therapist can help to
reduce feelings of isolation, anxiety
or stress. However, some people
find it hard to talk about these
feelings. Art therapy is therefore
an activity that allows people to
express these difficult emotions.”
Art therapy can take place
individually or in groups and no
previous experience of, or aptitude
for, art is needed. “We can work
with patients at their bedside or
in the art therapy room,” explains
Mimi. “We provide single sessions
or we can discuss arranging a
course. During sessions, patients
use any of the materials on offer
in any way. Nothing anyone
creates is judged as good or bad,
but as a way of thinking about
how you might be feeling.
Sessions are always confidential.”
Patient Sue Torcy is currently
taking part in art therapy sessions.
“When you are receiving treatment
for cancer, you face a whole range
of difficult feelings. Expressing
these with a trained therapist
can help to reduce feelings of
anxiety, isolation or stress”
Art Therapist Mimi Potworowska welcomes all inpatients and outpatients to her sessions.
“I’d seen a notice in a waiting
room about the art therapy
services offered when I went in
for an appointment and thought
it sounded like something I’d like
to try. I wasn’t sure what to expect
when I went for my first session,
but I was soon put at ease. There’s
such a relaxing atmosphere and
the people taking part are always
supportive of one another. There’s
no expectation to share what you
do in each session with the rest
of the group, although I rather like
evaluating what I’ve done!
I’ve found art therapy to be
a great help to me – after each
session I leave feeling uplifted.
I find it a positive way of
processing some of the issues
which I’m facing at the moment.”
Art therapy is available to
inpatients and outpatients. Sutton
sessions take place on Thursdays
and Chelsea sessions on Fridays.
Call Sutton on 020 8661 3005
or Chelsea on 020 7808 2811 for
details about art therapy sessions.
Music therapy
Music therapy uses music to
promote wellbeing and social
interaction in a way that is tailored
to the unique needs of patients,
their families, and the setting.
It is currently being trialled in the
Bud Flanagan Unit at The Royal
Marsden’s Sutton site. Here,
patients are often in isolation rooms
for extended periods due to their
suppressed immune systems. The
acute and isolating nature of the
treatment meant the unit was
chosen for the music therapy trial.
Music therapy can help to
alleviate depression, anxiety,
fatigue and isolation, helping
patients and their families to cope
with the physical, psychological
and social implications of diagnosis
and treatment. Used sensitively by
a trained music therapist, it can
enhance the ambience of clinical
environments for staff and patients.
In consultation with patients,
visitors and staff, music therapist
Neil Foster has developed a varied
and flexible service throughout the
inpatient and outpatient areas of
the unit. Much of the work takes
place in patients’ isolation rooms.
Gentle live music is also used in
the general ward environment
and at the outpatient clinic.
Staff nurse Dee Lumia believes
that music therapy offers important
benefits. “Patients often come to us
with a lot of anxiety – perhaps they
have been recently diagnosed or
have relapsed,” says Dee. “The live
music helps to create a therapeutic
ambience. It is soothing and
calming and it seems to bring
down the noise level in the room.”
Patients can also have sessions
in their rooms, or in groups if
possible. Family, friends and
staff can take part if appropriate.
Sessions may involve listening
to the therapist singing a favourite
song, playing instruments with
the therapist, writing a song,
learning basic music skills with
an instrument, or listening to
and talking about music.
For more details about music
therapy, leave a message for Neil
Foster on Mondays or Tuesday
on 0208 611 3055.
RMMagazine 17
RM7_pp16-17_Art_Therapy_des4.indd 17
26/05/2011 11:33
Senior Staff Nurse, Admissions
and Pre-assessment Unit (Chelsea),
Tessa Renouf.
16 royalmarsden.nhs.uk
RM7_pp18-19_DITLife_des2.indd 18
27/05/2011 13:13
a day i n t h e l i f e
senior staff nurse, Admissions and Pre-assessment Unit (Chelsea)
Tessa Renouf
I work on the Admissions and
Pre-assessment Unit (Chelsea)
at The Royal Marsden, previously
known as the Transitional Care
Unit. This is where we co-ordinate
all inpatient admissions and
provide an inpatient surgical
pre-assessment service.
Every day is so varied – I might
be co-ordinating admissions as
the Clinical Site Practitioner (CSP),
running the cardiopulmonary
exercise testing (CPET) facility
with one of our anaesthetists, or
pre-assessing patients for surgery.
My role involves providing
support to ward staff, co-ordinating
bed management, supporting
complex discharges and managing
patient admissions. We also
arrange reviews of unwell patients
in the new Clinical Assessment
Unit, where we make decisions
with the clinical team about which
patients are suitable for inpatient
admission. In addition, we’re active
members of the incident team,
attending to arrest calls, incidents or
fire alerts. Working as the CSP is
challenging, but very rewarding.
A typical day starts with a cycle
to work and a team meeting at 8am
to discuss clinic bookings, allocation
of patients and to follow up on any
outstanding tests or investigations.
The first patients arrive at 9am to
have their bloods and observations
done before we take them in for
consultation. Assessment takes
place in individual consulting rooms
to maintain privacy and provide a
suitable environment for me to take
a thorough history, perform a
cardiovascular and respiratory
examination by listening to their
heart and lungs and, if appropriate,
conduct an abdominal examination.
I then perform an ECG and answer
any questions the patient may have
to make sure they feel supported
about their upcoming surgery.
I often liaise with members of the
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) to
assist in the patient’s preparation
for surgery. If I have any concerns,
I seek help from the consultant
anaesthetists who are designated
to the unit every afternoon. I love
working closely with the MDT.
Our patients often require further
investigations, such as ECHO and
cardiopulmonary exercise tests
(CPET), which we provide in the
unit. This really helps to streamline
the patient pathway and prevent
further hospital visits.
I get to meet so many interesting
people. I once had a lovely patient
who was a steam train driver: he
came in for his CPET test wearing
his uniform hat!
Like any nursing job, this role
requires humour, great teamwork
and good communication skills.
Time management is also key
to balancing the various tasks.
At the end of each day, I make
sure all documentation is up to date,
then I cycle home feeling satisfied
with what we have achieved.
“Like any nursing job, this role requires humour, great teamwork and good
communication skills. time management is key to balancing the various tasks”
Tessa’s role involves co-ordinating inpatient admissions and pre-assessing patients for surgery. She also helps run the cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) facility (top right).
RMMagazine 19
RM7_pp18-19_DITLife_des2.indd 19
26/05/2011 11:37
20 royalmarsden.nhs.uk
RM7_pp20-23_Fundraising_des6.indd 20
27/05/2011 13:06
fundraising
Miles and smiles on
The Marsden March
here are some highlights from our first ever Marsden
March – thanks to all who took part in this special day
On Sunday 27 March, 2,000
walkers celebrated as they
crossed the finishing line of
the first ever Marsden March,
a 14-mile sponsored walk to raise
money for The Royal Marsden
Cancer Charity. The walk
followed a route from The Royal
Marsden’s Chelsea site to its
Sutton site, and was developed
as a great way for patients,
staff, friends and family to come
together to take on cancer.
Key members of hospital
staff, as well as some of our loyal
celebrities, took part to show their
support for The Royal Marsden
Cancer Charity. Sporting legend
Gary Lineker started off the
proceedings and sent the walkers
off with a spring in their step,
while other star walkers included
actor Nathaniel Parker, actress
Anna Patrick, former Capital
Radio personality Russ Kane,
TV presenter and author Jane
Moore, Right Said Fred’s Richard
Fairbrass and actor Larry Lamb.
“I had such a fantastic day,”
said Nathaniel. “It was lots of fun
and there was a great
atmosphere. I’ve had a chance
to meet and talk to so many
wonderful people. I was pretty
exhausted by the end and felt
achy the following day, but
it was definitely worth it. I’m
looking forward to next year’s
March already!”
It was a day of great emotion
at times, with people walking to
remember a loved one, or to
celebrate surviving cancer
themselves. A team of 100
pupils from George Abbot
School in Guildford all walked
in memory of a much-missed
friend, while the 92-strong
Andrew’s Army (including
babies in prams) walked to
support a young boy being
treated at The Royal Marsden.
Many others simply took the
opportunity to show their
thanks to hospital staff for the
care they, or a loved one, had
received. Members of staff
from catering, radiotherapy
and senior management
also took part.
“It was a day of great emotion at times,
with people walking to remember
a loved one, or to celebrate
surviving cancer themselves”
Community Fundraising
and Development Manager
Amanda Heaton said: “We were
overwhelmed with the support
we received from walkers,
helpers and celebrities on the
day. When we started planning
The Marsden March last year,
we could never have anticipated
how emotive it would be to
see so many people marching
between our hospital sites with
one clear goal – to walk together
to take on cancer.
“We were thrilled that so many
people took part. We’ve exceeded
our fundraising target, raising
over £650,000. Thank you to all of
this year’s walkers, fundraisers
and the 218 volunteers who made
the day possible – we can’t wait
to do it all again next year.”
The next Marsden March
will take place on Sunday
25 March 2012. To register
your interest in taking part,
visit www.royalmarsden.
org/march and complete
the 2012 form. We will then
email you a few weeks
before registration opens
to the general public, so that
you have the best chance
of securing a place.
RMMagazine 21
RM7_pp20-23_Fundraising_des6.indd 21
27/05/2011 13:08
fundraising
Runner
Ollie Bartlett.
Fearne and a
young patient
have a giggle.
These shoes
were made
for running…
Autumn launch for
new Children’s Centre
enabling scientific advances to benefit young patients quickly
With the official opening of the Centre
for Children and Young People set for this
autumn, TV and radio personality Fearne
Cotton dropped in for a visit to see how
it was shaping up.
A big thanks to all who have helped with
the fundraising effort. The centre will greatly
increase our capacity to treat young people
affected by cancer. One of the largest facilities
of its kind in Europe, it will give patients
access to a world-leading drug development
programme, enabling us to test anti-cancer
agents on site – a world first! This means
the latest scientific advances will benefit
our young patients quickly and efficiently.
Fancy a running challenge?
Then why not become part of
The Royal Marsden Cancer
Charity’s team for the Great
South Run, a 10-mile course
around Southsea, Portsmouth.
We offer all our runners
fantastic support including
training and fundraising advice,
regular e-newsletter updates
and that all-important running
vest or t-shirt to wear on the big
day. And the fundraising team
will be there to cheer you on.
Last year, our runners raised
an amazing £70,000 for The
Royal Marsden Cancer Charity,
and we hope to do just as well
this year. To sign up for a
place, please email Rachel Deer
at [email protected]
A big thank
you to our
marathon
runners
Well done and thank you to
the 100 runners who took
part in this year’s Virgin
London Marathon on 17
April. Everyone at The
Royal Marsden Cancer
Charity is very grateful for
all their fundraising efforts
and the many hours of
training and preparation
they put in over the months
leading up to the event.
If you’d like to take part
in a charity run, please
email Rachel Deer at
[email protected]
“with the new centre
we’ll be able to test
anti-cancer agents
on site – a world first”
TV and radio personality Fearne Cotton meets some of our young patients.
22 royalmarsden.nhs.uk
RM7_pp20-23_Fundraising_des6.indd 22
27/05/2011 13:09
F R I E N D S & P CAG
The Friends of
The Royal Marsden
WHAT HAVE THE FRIENDS AT SUTTON AND
CHELSEA BEEN UP TO? READ ON AND FIND OUT
SUTTON
Hitting the million mark
For many years, the Friends
have supported the work of
The Royal Marsden by providing
additional funding, support and
amenities. And 2010 proved to be
another successful year, with the
Friends at Sutton announcing
they had spent £322,126 last year.
Included in this figure was an Echo
Ultrasound System for the Centre
for Children and Young People,
which you may have read about in
a previous issue of RM magazine.
You can read all about the Friends’
financial year in the Tea Bar in the
Outpatients department.
That top spend means a recordbreaking £1 million expenditure
over the last three years, made
possible by the significant
number of legacies received.
The challenge for 2011 is to
maintain the contributions level.
Perhaps you’d like to make a
donation, arrange to leave a legacy
or support us by visiting the Tea
Bar or by ordering Christmas cards
through the Friends. If you’d like
to be added to the Christmas card
mailing list, please contact the
office. Another way to help, besides
volunteering, is by becoming a
member of the Friends – call
020 8661 3082 or email
[email protected]
CHELSEA
A friendly face
The Royal Marsden, Chelsea has
many lifts, stairs and wings that
patients, their families and visitors
have to navigate their way around.
To make visits to the hospital as
stress-free as possible, the Friends
opened a ‘Meet and Greet’
department last October to help
visitors find wards and other
destinations. The Friends in
Chelsea are now looking for
volunteers for the service.
The scheme has proved
a huge success, and on top
of their navigation skills, the
Meet and Greeters are also
helping out in some of the
wards. Jobs include making
refreshments and snacks, tidying
up, helping to carry patients’
overstay baggage, collecting
prescriptions, answering the
phones and helping patients to
fill in electronic questionnaires
about their time at The Royal
Marsden. These services not only
help the patients, but also reduce
the load for the medical staff on
the wards. All the work of the
Friends is entirely voluntary.
If you’d like to become a Meet
and Greet volunteer, call 020
7352 3875 between 9am and
1pm for details, or email friends.
[email protected]
Smiling faces at The Centre for Children and Young People (left); Chelsea Friends (right).
NEW LOOK FOR
LISTENING POST
The Listening Post, a PCAGrun project which enables
patients and carers to meet
with members of PCAG to
discuss their experiences in
the hospital in a confidential
and informal way, is having a
revamp. The project will have
a new logo, new-look postcard
and new postcard holders for
patient waiting areas around
both the Chelsea and Sutton
hospitals. The new designs
will be revealed in the next
issue of RM magazine.
Every month, two PCAG
members make themselves
available in a public area, for
example, in Outpatients or in
the restaurant, and listen to
what patients, or their family
and friends, have to say. The
PCAG members wear ‘talk to
me’ sashes so that they are
easy to spot. All comments and
ideas are welcome and will be
treated in confidence.
The postcards will contain
basic information about what
PCAG is and how people can
give anonymous feedback
about their experience to the
hospital through the Listening
Post. Some topics will be
discussed further at future
PCAG meetings.
The dates of the Listening
Post sessions are as follows:
DATE
VENUE
TIME
Fri 8th July
Tue 16th Aug
Mon 26th Sept
Wed 5th Oct
Thurs 17th Nov
Sutton, Cherry Tree Restaurant
Chelsea, Outpatients waiting room
Sutton, Cherry Tree Restaurant
Chelsea, Outpatients waiting room
Sutton, Cherry Tree Restaurant
13.45-15.45
09.30-11.30
10.00-12.00
13.30-15.30
15.00-17.00
If you would like to find out more about the work of PCAG, to
become involved or to attend a future meeting, please contact
Craig Mortimer, Quality Officer, on 020 7808 2176 or email
[email protected]
ARTS FORUM
PHOTOGRAPHY
COMPETITION:
ENTER NOW
Calling all amateur photographers!
The Trust’s Arts Forum is holding
a photo competition and we want
you to send us your best snaps.
The competition is open to
patients, their families, carers and
staff, and all entries are welcome.
Shortlisted photographs will be
exhibited at the Trust and the
best three pictures, as decided
by external judges, will receive a
prize. Submit up to four digital
pictures by email to Jacky Filshie
at [email protected]
between 1 June and 1 September
2011. Images must be in JPEG
format and no larger than 1MB
each. Please also provide your
name, telephone number and
address when submitting your
pictures. The competition and
accompanying exhibition will
take place in the autumn.
Your favourite photo could be a winner.
RMMAGAZINE 23
RM7_pp20-23_Fundraising_des6.indd 23
27/05/2011 13:09
P CAG
Head of PALS Sheila Murphy and
PALS and Patient Information Officer
Anna Hudson (seated) welcome
visitors to the Help Centre.
Patient and Carer Advisory Group
(PCAG) gives Help Centres a boost
The Patient Advice and Liaison
Service (PALS) and Patient
Information Service run Help
Centres at Sutton and Chelsea
to provide information, support
and advice to patients, their
families and friends, and the
staff involved in their care.
The centres’ PALS staff also
have links with local hospitals
and community-based groups,
and work closely with their
colleagues within all departments
at The Royal Marsden.
Members of PCAG have
discussed techniques to raise
the profile of the Help Centres
within the hospital. Publicising
the services the PALS Help
Centres provide, along with the
fact patients or family members
can comment on services
confidentially, were needs
identified early on in PCAG’s
discussions. Other objectives set
were to improve signposting
to the centres around the
hospital, produce eye-catching
literature, and make the area
more inviting and friendly.
“some of the
suggestions
were very
simple to put in
place and have
proved really
effective”
Sheila Murphy, Head of
PALS, said: “It was very
interesting to hear PCAG’s
recommendations. Some of
the suggestions were very
simple to put in place and
have proved really effective,
for example putting notices
up in every waiting area to
advertise the Help Centres and
also improving signposting.”
PCAG and PALS have a
strong working relationship
and have assisted each
other on numerous different
projects for many years.
Anita Gray, PCAG member,
said: “It is very important for
PCAG and PALS to work
together as we have the
same aims – to make sure
patient experience continues to
be of an excellent standard here
and to ensure all comments
from patients and carers are
listened to and actioned.”
The Help Centre in Chelsea
is located in the Ambulatory
Care Centre in the heart of the
hospital; in Sutton it is to the
left of the main entrance,
at the top of the ramp.
Opening hours are displayed
outside the Centres. Staff are
available to guide people
through information as well
as offer advice and support.
You can also contact
the Centres by calling
Freephone 0800 783 7176.
24 royalmarsden.nhs.uk
RM7_pp24-25_PCAG_Staff_News_des4.indd 24
26/05/2011 11:42
s ta f f n e w s
1. Edit profile
Update your own
contact details easily.
1
2. Search
Quick search tools available
on every single page.
Search for contacts,
research protocols, hospital
policies – you name it.
2
3
3. My links
Have you got a document
you use every day? A
contact you’re always
searching for? An external
site you want to link to? Add
it to your personal links.
4
4. Hospital news
The latest news to keep you
informed and reduce the
number of Trust-wide emails.
6
5
5. Site info
Easy access to the coach
and shuttlebus timetables,
as well as maps and
restaurant menus.
the new staff intranet
will be packed with
useful information.
here’s what’s to come...
6. Policies and
procedures
Special searches for some
of the most important
documents on the intranet.
7. Clinical homepage
A special no-nonsense
homepage for clinical staff.
8. Clinical notices
Do you have a new service
you want to tell staff about,
or important work-related
information to share? Put
it all in a clinical notice.
9. BNF search
Search straight from the
intranet to the British
National Formulary.
10. Guidelines,
procedures and
policies
A simple three-in-one
search gets you there.
11. Research
protocols
Easy access to all the
research activity at
The Royal Marsden.
12. resource links
Quick links to sites and
tools most commonly
used by clinical staff.
Sneak
a peek
at your
all-new
intranet
7
8
9
10
11
12
With the demands of a modern hospital
environment, it’s key that our staff have
access to important Trust information,
guidelines, forms and the latest news.
And what better way to achieve this than
with a modern, easy-to-use intranet site?
Our current intranet is now 11 years old –
a long time in the world of digital technology
– and is in need of an overhaul to give staff
access to all the information and tools they
need, as well as keeping them informed of
activities across the organisation. This is
particularly important for us as we have
staff spread over two hospital sites,
a satellite unit at Kingston Hospital and
Sutton and Merton Community Services.
Our new-look intranet will include a
search tool, helping users locate information
simply and efficiently. In addition, it will
allow departments to publish and manage
their own content. The site will also include
some new features, including the ability to
publish event calendars, and functionality
to provide feedback to staff.
We are currently in the first phase of
this exciting revamp. This initial phase
will provide the platform for future
developments that will ensure our intranet
reflects our forward-thinking and modern
NHS workforce. We can now proudly reveal
how the new site will look and highlight
some of the key features (see images, left).
RMMagazine 25
RM7_pp24-25_PCAG_Staff_News_des4.indd 25
27/05/2011 13:14
S ta f f s p e c i a l
A Royal Wedding
to remember
the royal marsden is represented by chief executive cally palmer
at the wedding of the duke and duchess of cambridge
On Friday 29 April, the nation
celebrated the wedding of His
Royal Highness Prince William
and Miss Catherine Middleton
– now The Duke and Duchess
of Cambridge.
Watched by millions of
people globally, the wedding
was one of the biggest national
occasions in recent times. And
The Royal Marsden was not
left out of the celebrations, as
Chief Executive Cally Palmer
attended the wedding as a
representative of the hospital.
As our President, The Duke
supports the work of The Royal
Marsden hospital and The
Royal Marsden Cancer Charity,
staff and supporters. Cally’s
invite to the wedding was
testament to how highly
he views our work and how
seriously he takes his role.
“It was a wonderful service
and a very special day indeed,”
said Cally. “I was honoured to
represent The Royal Marsden
at such a historic occasion.
The Duke is always very
interested in, and supportive
of, the work of the hospital,
the staff and our patients.”
In the run up to the big day,
Cally took part in a number
of television and newspaper
interviews, which were aired
in the build-up to the wedding.
The interviews provided an
opportunity to talk about the
work of both the hospital and
the charity and the support
we receive from The Duke.
To celebrate the wedding,
The Royal Marsden’s catering
department offered a themed
menu at both the Chelsea and
Sutton hospital restaurants,
which included a St Andrews
Broth and a cottage pie,
apparently one of The Duke’s
favourite dishes. Young
patients and staff in The Centre
for Children and Young People
also got involved in the
celebrations by holding a
special ‘street party’ in the
centre to mark the special day.
“the duke is always very
interested in, and supportive
of, the work of the hospital,
the staff and our patients”
Chief Executive Cally Palmer.
26 royalmarsden.nhs.uk
RM7_pp26-27_StaffNews_des3.indd 26
26/05/2011 11:46
s ta f f n e w s
RMMagazine 29
RM7_pp26-27_StaffNews_des3.indd 27
27/05/2011 13:14
Governor
contacts
thank you to governor Anthony Sykes
put themselves forward to take
my place. It’s wonderful to both
support The Royal Marsden
as well as to take advantage
of a great opportunity to get
involved, to broaden your
horizons and to work with
such an excellent, professional
group of people.
Sam Greenhouse, Head of
the Foundation Trust Office,
said Anthony will be missed
and thanked him for his
valuable contribution to
the Council of Governors.
She added: “I would like
to take this opportunity to
wish Anthony all the best
in his secondment to Paris
and we will make sure we
keep him updated on
hospital developments
through RM magazine.”
Tell us a about your role.
I was elected Public
Governor for Kensington
and Chelsea in 2008. I’ve enjoyed
my time on the Council
enormously – I’ll be sad to leave
it behind. I’ll be stepping down at
the end of June as I’ve been
seconded to work in Paris.
What made you decide
to stand for election to
be a Governor?
Like many others, I was hoping
to be able to repay some of my
debt to the hospital for the quality
of care that I received as a patient
there back in 2005.
What have you enjoyed
the most out of your role?
I have found that I’ve got
the most pleasure from seeing
up close how professionally the
hospital’s Board operates. I think
this was most evident from the
way that the Board responded to
the huge challenge of rebuilding
and improving the hospital after
the fire in 2008.
And what has impressed
you the most?
Without doubt the quality,
experience and dedication of
my fellow Governors. We have
all been trying to ensure that
the Board and the Council work
together in the most efficient
and productive way. This is
now all in place, and I hope my
successor on the Council will
be able to feel that they can
have a real influence in the
affairs of the hospital.
Do you have any final
farewell messages?
Stand for election! I’d
strongly urge other Members
of the Foundation Trust who
are resident in the Borough to
Governor elections –
use your vote!
An election to Anthony’s
constituency, Public: Kensington
and Chelsea, is currently being
held, as are elections to Patient:
South West London and Patient:
Paediatric and Adolescent. We
are urging Members in these
areas to vote in the elections.
“When your voting pack
arrives, please take the time to
vote for your preferred candidate,”
said Sam. “It is your chance to
help shape the future of The
Royal Marsden and it only takes
a couple of minutes to complete.”
Ballot papers will have been
distributed to Members in
the above constituencies by
Thursday 2 June. Completed
ballot papers must be returned
to our independent facilitator,
Electoral Reform Services, by
5pm on Monday 27 June.
The successful governors will
be announced on 28 June 2011
and will also be featured in the
next issue of RM magazine.
WHO your
governors ARE
at a glance
PATIENT GOVERNORS
Paediatric and Adolescent:
James Miller
South West London: Anita Gray,
John Tholstrup, Raelene Salter,
Edward Crocker
East Elmbridge & Mid-Surrey:
Dr James Laxton, Chris Pelley
Greater London: Dr Geoff Harding,
Hilary Bateson
Elsewhere in England: Sally Mason,
Vikki Orvice
CARER GOVERNORS
Lesley-Ann Gooden, John Preston,
John Howard
PUBLIC GOVERNORS
Kensington & Chelsea:
Anthony Sykes
Sutton & Merton: Tony Hazeldine
Elsewhere in England:
Ann Curtis
staff GOVERNORS
Doctor: Professor Ian Smith
Nurse: Lorraine Hyde
Other clinical professional:
Nina Kite
Non-clinical: Kim Andrews
nominated GOVERNORS
Institute of Cancer Research:
Professor Keith Willison
Primary Care Referrer:
Dr Chris Elliott
South West London Cancer
Network: Alison Hill
West London Cancer
Network: vacant
London Borough of Kensington
& Chelsea: vacant
Sutton & Merton PCT:
Dr Martyn Wake
Croydon PCT: vacant
NHS Kensington & Chelsea:
Mable Wu
Surrey PCT: Michael Munt
Cancer Research UK (charity):
Dr Sally Burtles
University Partner vacant
Contact us If you have any questions
or would like to become a member,
we’d love to hear from you. Get in
touch with the Foundation Trust
Office on 0800 587 7673
or email us
at [email protected]
28 royalmarsden.nhs.uk
RM7_pp28-29_Foundation_News_des5.indd 28
01/06/2011 10:47
FO U N DAT I O N N E W S
Giving Members a voice
MEMBERS HAVE THEIR SAY AND SHARE THEIR VIEWS ON PATIENT CARE AT SPECIAL EVENT
A special event at Sutton gave
Members the opportunity to be
involved in the process of getting
patients’ views into our Quality
Accounts to help improve patient
care. They were also able to meet
with Governors, staff from different
areas of The Royal Marsden, and
Chief Nurse, Shelley Dolan.
Since last June, all hospitals
have been required to publish
annual Quality Accounts. These
contain key indicators that reflect
the Trust’s performance in areas
such as patient experience, safety
and clinical effectiveness. The
accounts also set out priorities
for quality improvement going
forward, so it is vital that people
interested in the organisation
are involved in the process.
Members were able to share
their views of the key performance
areas, which will inform the next
set of Quality Accounts.
To ensure that the Quality
Accounts take into consideration
the impact on local issues, Local
Involvement Networks (LINks) –
made up of individuals and
community groups who work to
improve health and social care
services – were invited to the event.
This was to ensure the community
networks of both Kensington and
Chelsea and Sutton and Merton
were represented.
As well as presentations from
Shelley Dolan on the Quality
Accounts process and our
priorities for improvement,
Nurse Consultant Natalie Doyle
gave a presentation on “Living
With, and Beyond, Cancer”.
Assistant Chief Nurse Lynne
Hopwood was also on hand
to inform Members of other
ways in which they could help
The Royal Marsden through
volunteering with the Friends
of The Royal Marsden.
Governors and Members will
continue to be involved in the
development and monitoring
of the Quality Accounts. Our next
event will be held later in the year,
and if you’re not a Member and
would like to attend, please sign up.
Pick up an application form from
the hospital, call 0800 587 7673,
email foundation.trust@rmh.
nhs.uk, or visit royalmarsden.
nhs.uk/membership
MAKE A DATE IN
YOUR DIARY
Tuesday 13 September:
The next Council of Governors
meeting will be held at the
Cripps Lecture Theatre, Sutton.
Wednesday 28 September:
This year, our Annual General
Meeting will take place at
our Chelsea site. It will give
people the chance to meet
the Governors and hear about
the past year’s developments
and achievements from the
Chairman and Chief Executive,
as well as our future plans.
Members will receive a special
invitation nearer the time.
The Members’ Event at Sutton allowed Members to share their views and to help improve patient care at The Royal Marsden.
RMMAGAZINE 29
RM7_pp28-29_Foundation_News_des5.indd 29
26/05/2011 11:50
TEABREAK TEASERS
Test your wits
1
2
3
4
6
5
7
9
10
17
12
14
13
18
PRIZE CROSSWORD
ACROSS
8
11
Give your brain a workout and you could be
the lucky winner of John Lewis vouchers
19
15
16
20
21
23
22
25
26
24
28
27
1 Sways back and forth (5)
5 Insolence with
an edge (3)
7 Bar bill (3)
8 Outdoor space (5)
9 Before now (3)
10 Application (3)
11 Early fire lighter (5)
14 Body of employees (4)
17 Measurement of
water (5)
20 Seasonal fruit (5)
21 Lyrical poem (3)
22 Resting place (3)
23 Fiery attack (5)
24 Hearing organ (3)
27 Human extremity (3)
28 Number (5)
DOWN
1 Tear (3)
2 Baby’s bed (3)
3 Well-built (5)
4 Woodwind
instruments (5)
5 South American
ruminant (5)
6 Evidence (5)
12 Untruth (3)
13 Fine mesh (3)
15 Male accessory (3)
16 Not near (3)
17 Financial transaction (5)
18 Military chaplain (5)
19 Iliad author (5)
20 Facial hair (5)
25 Droop (3)
26 Louse egg (3)
Complete the crossword and send it to RM, details right
AND THE WINNERS ARE…
CONGRATULATIONS TO ANNA-JANE VINE, THE WINNER OF LAST ISSUE’S CROSSWORD COMPETITION, WHO
WILL RECEIVE £50 OF JOHN LEWIS VOUCHERS. AND WELL DONE TO DUNCAN AND RACHEL MOXEY,
WHO WIN OUR STAR LETTER PRIZE OF £50 OF JOHN LEWIS VOUCHERS.
SUDOKU 2
SUDOKU 1
8
4 7
5 2
3
5
9
4
5
3
4 1
4
2
6
5
3
9
5
7 6
1
5
9 4
1
5
7
2
1 4
4
8
7 8
1
5
6 9 8
6 5 7
4
9
9
4
9 8 2
3 1
3
7
7 5
1
Win!
The lucky winner
of our prize
crossword will
receive £50
of John Lewis
vouchers.
Send your completed
crossword with your
name and contact
details to RM, Press Office,
The Royal Marsden,
Fulham Road, Chelsea,
London SW3 6JJ. The
closing date for entry is
Friday 5 August 2011.
See below for prize
draw rules.
PRIZE DRAWS & STAR LETTER TERMS
& CONDITIONS: 1. The Prize Draws and
Star Letter are open to all readers of RM
except employees of the Press Office
at The Royal Marsden and Sunday,
who produce RM magazine. 2. The
closing date for receipt of all entries
is Friday 5 August 2011. Only one entry
per person per draw. 3. Responsibility
cannot be accepted for entries which are
incomplete, illegible or not received. Proof
of posting is not proof of receipt. No cash
alternative is available and prizes are not
transferable. Value of prizes is correct at
time of going to press. 4. Winners will be
notified by post within 14 days of closing
date. 5. The Promoter’s decision on any
aspect of the promotions is final and
binding and no correspondence will be
entered into. 6. The Promoter reserves
the right to substitute a prize of equal
or greater value should circumstances
make this necessary. 7. Entry implies
acceptance of rules. 8. The winner of
the £50 of John Lewis vouchers is the
sender of the best letter selected by RM
magazine. 9. The winner of the Teabreak
Teaser prize of £50 of John Lewis
vouchers will be the first correct entries
drawn out of the bag. 10. The Promoter
is The Royal Marsden Hospital, 203
Fulham Road, London SW3 6JJ.
30 ROYALMARSDEN.NHS.UK
RM7_pp30_Puzzles_des1.indd 30
26/05/2011 11:52
h o s p i ta l n e w s
We hope you enjoyed the summer issue of RM.
The autumn issue is coming soon...
Building for the future: Sutton (above) and Chelsea sites will forge the way ahead.
...RM magazine brings you the latest hospital updates, inspiring stories, exclusive
interviews, news, plus staff stories and events
Here’s a taster of next issue’s hot topics:
Trust site redevelopment update
Round-up from this year’s ASCO conference
BBC Horizon comes to The Royal Marsden
Plus: The latest hospital updates, staff news and more
Coming to you in September 2011
RMMagazine 00
RM7_pp31_IBC_des1.indd 31
26/05/2011 11:53
Walking together we’ve raised
an incredible £650,000
Supporters, hospital staff, patients and their families
all came together on March 27th to take part in our first
Marsden March. A 14 mile sponsored walk between
The Royal Marsden in Chelsea and Sutton.
A huge thank you to all our walkers and supporters for
making this event so successful.
Join us next year on 25 March 2012
To register your interest visit www.royalmarsden.org/march
or call 020 8770 0279
Registered Charity No. 1095197.
RM7_pp32_OBC_des1.indd 32
26/05/2011 11:54