New guidance announced by Health Minister Ann Keen states that all hospitals with emergency departments should establish an acute oncology service that can quickly identify the symptoms and treat patients who develop severe side-effects from chemotherapy, as well as undiagnosed cancer patients who present as emergencies. Commenting on the guidance, National Cancer Director Mike Richards said:
“The use of chemotherapy has expanded markedly in recent years and while this has brought huge benefits to the majority of patients serious concerns have been identified in the quality and safety of treatments. This new guidance will help all hospitals improve the quality and safety of their treatment and I urgently ask them to adopt these guidelines. “Setting up acute oncology services is an innovative idea. We have undertaken an impact assessment which has found the implementation cost will be neutral overall because the improved quality of treatment will reduce the number of emergency bed days.” Cancer Research UK chief executive, Harpal Kumar, also highlighted the importance of the recommendation, pointing out that: “Many people with undiagnosed cancer either don’t recognise or choose to ignore signs and symptoms of the disease for so long that they eventually end up being admitted to hospital in an emergency.” The recommendation forms part of new best practice to improve the quality and safety of chemotherapy published by the National Chemotherapy Advisory Group (NCAG) in the report, Chemotherapy Services in England: Ensuring quality and safety.
