Cancer Centre patient power recognised

Monday 27 October 2014


Diana Crawshaw, Chair of the Patient Reference Group, breaks the ground for the new Cancer Centre at Guy’s with Simon Hughes MP in July 2013

The role that patients have played in shaping the development of the new Cancer Centre at Guy’s Hospital has been recognised by two national awards schemes.

The new Cancer Centre at Guy’s will bring together the majority of cancer treatment provided by Guy’s and St Thomas’ under one roof when it opens in 2016.

The Patient Reference Group for the Cancer Centre is shortlisted in the patient involvement category of the Quality in Care (QiC) Oncology Awards 2014 - the winners will be announced on Tuesday 9 December.

And Catherine Dale, Programme Manager for Patient Centred Care, is a finalist in the patient champion category of the 2014 NHS Leadership Recognition Awards for London - the winners will be announced on Thursday 20 November.

Catherine Dale says: “A Patient Reference Group was established in 2010 to work alongside clinicians and managers to develop the plans for the new Cancer Centre right from the start.

“For example, a patient mentioned how depressing and demoralising it was to have to keep returning to a basement on a regular basis when undergoing radiotherapy treatment.

“As a direct result of this conversation the architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, designed a building with radiotherapy on the second floor - the first design of this kind in Europe.”

The Patient Reference Group is now working alongside staff and external partners to develop the full plans for the Cancer Centre.

Cancer survivor Diana Crawshaw, who chairs the Patient Reference Group, explains: “This often takes the form of a clinical lead presenting to the group and asking for our advice and feedback on a particular aspect of the plans, from the layout of the treatment rooms to the way in which patients will be greeted in the building.”

Diana is also on the Programme Board for the Cancer Centre project so patients are represented at the highest level of decision making.

David Cheesman, Director of the King’s Health Partners Integrated Cancer Centre, adds: “In my 23 years as a manager in the NHS, I have often seen people pay lip service to involving patients in service development but in this case patients are making a genuine, tangible difference to the development of the Cancer Centre at Guy’s.”

Last updated: March 2022

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