HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2018: Cancer Care

After a review of adverse incidents, staff in the oncology service at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust identified improving the safety of chemotherapy prescribing as a key priority.

The Manual for Cancer Services provides clear guidance on essential assessment and documentation for patients during chemotherapy. And so a target was set for clinicians’ assessments to document at least 95 per cent of the key parameters detailed in the manual and in local medical record keeping standards.

A form was created with checklists for the key information required. Initially, the document was on paper, but in due course an electronic version was introduced.

At the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, the quality of assessments improved from 62 per cent complete in December 2015 to more than 95 per cent with the paper form, and then consistently 100 per cent complete following the introduction of the electronic form from October 2017.

Staff view the form positively, with 94 per cent agreeing it promotes safety, and high patient satisfaction with the chemotherapy service continues to be reported.

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Click here for more details on the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2018.