Oral anti-cancer service for patients with private medical insurance
The Healthcare at Home oral anti-cancer therapy service enables cancer specialists to offer appropriate patients the choice of home nursing and/or home delivery for some, or all, of their treatment. The service seeks to promote the safe use of oral oncology medications in line with the requirements of the National Patient Safety Agency circular (NPSA/2008/RRR001) and seeks to ensure quality patient education and support in accordance with the Cancer Measures 2004.
The Healthcare at Home oral anti-cancer service includes:
- The dispensing of anti-cancer medication.
- Transport to the patient and a visit by one of our oncology specialist nurses. Part of the visit will include patient education to maximise concordance and timely usage of the prescribed dose. It will also include symptom monitoring, management and reporting, as well as a Common Toxicity Criteria Assessment and reporting.
- The nurse can also take bloods if necessary and will repeat this for each cycle of treatment if required.
- The nurse will maintain regular contact with the patient and their clinical team, giving ongoing patient education, as well as reviewing stock levels so that the patient has a regular supply of their medication.
Benefits to the patient
Homecare scores highly in terms of patient satisfaction. It is a confidential and discreet service and offers the patient the convenience of having their treatment at home or work, as well as reducing the number of hospital visits they have to make, allowing them to get on with their life. Patients also have the benefit of 24 hour access to a local on-call Healthcare at Home nurse who can triage any questions they may have.
Key features of the service
•Designed to help deliver NPSA Guideline requirements
•Highly cost-effective solution for the funder
•Offers greater choice to patients
•Multi-levelled service - patients follow a pathway based on their performance status and concordance - agreed in consultation with the referring clinician
•24 hour local on-call Healthcare at Home nurse
•Minimal wastage through stock checking
•Regular symptom monitoring, education and concordance checks
