Welcome to the bi-monthly update on our new Cancer Centre development.
Email cancer.centre@uclh.nhs.uk with any comments, queries or feedback.
Building update
The external façade of the building is now almost complete. Two trees have been lowered into the internal atrium and the glass roof (on the fifth floor) has been closed, making the building watertight. Fit-out works and services installation is now taking place. Over the next month, final elements of cladding will be added, fit-out and services to all floors will be progressed, ground floor entrances will be installed and the lifts will be completed.
Environment update
We have recently signed off the last contractual item relating to environment (the accent wall colour on some floors). The environmental decisions have been made by the patient environment group. This group, made up of patients and staff, was set up to help make decisions about finishes and fittings and has met over the past few months to agree things like the colour and material of seats, paint colours and more. Email jessica.tudor-williams@uclh.nhs.uk for more information
Information, communications and technology (ICT) update
One of the key elements of our development is the use of new technology to enhance the patient experience. The ICT team has been working with both patients and staff groups at UCLH – including clinicians, cancer division staff and other staff who are indirectly involved in cancer care – to work up the detailed requirements for the new systems. The specifications have now been completed and agreed and development is under way. To find out more, please email milly.oakley@uclh.nhs.uk.
Patient Experience Board
Earlier this year we launched the new Patient Experience Board (PEB) with Macmillan Cancer Support for the Cancer Centre. The PEB will play an essential role in shaping services and care to better meet the needs of patients and carers. All members have been affected by cancer and bring their own experiences and expertise. Although the initial focus will be on the development of the cancer centre, the PEB will also be supported to use its expertise and influence to improve cancer services across the Trust where they will be key to innovating and strengthening the approaches used to involve patients, carers and the public. For more information please email cancer.centre@uclh.nhs.uk.
Creating a patient-centred service - children and young people's cancer service (CYPCS)
The new CYPCS will provide complex cancer care traditionally given in an inpatient setting to be delivered as daycare without the need to stay in hospital overnight. This will be made possible by use of portable medical IV pumps and an overnight stay in the CLIC Sargent home from home located a couple of minutes from the Centre. We are working with Macmillan and the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) to create a national ‘gold standard’ in care for teenagers and young adults. To ensure our service is truly patient-centred, staff participated in a workforce planning day facilitated by 'Patients Matter' that shifted the focus away from staff groups and numbers to what our patients really need. The next step is to consult young people through patient focus groups and a newly formed patient panel. Please email Gabrielle.Mroziewicz@uclh.nhs.uk – CYPCS cancer centre project coordinator for more information.
Opportunities for patients to get involved in art projects
Artwork funded by charitable foundations that give to art projects will feature in the cancer centre to enhance the environment for patients. Stuart Haygarth is working on a sculpture for the ground floor atrium space that will be suspended from fine metal cables to give the impression of an explosion of colour frozen in time. Stuart will be walking the 450 miles from Gravesend to Lands End - to represent the cancer patient journey - collecting man made objects washed ashore by the sea to make the sculpture and is appealing for UCLH patients to send their objects (found along this route) for inclusion in the structure. Patients are also invited to share their experiences of cancer with Wellcome Trust funded artist in residence Simeon Nelson who will be creating art to feature in the windows along Capper Street. For information on either of these projects contact Guy Noble, arts curator at guy.noble@uclh.nhs.uk or 0845 1555 000 x 5451. |