Helping cancer patients spend less time in hospital | News

For people living with advanced cancer, spending precious time at home with loved ones can mean everything.

Thanks to funding from Royal Surrey Charity's Bid for Better competition, a new service is helping Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust patients receive treatment more quickly, without needing to stay overnight in hospital.

Some people with advanced cancer experience a build-up of fluid in their abdomen, which can cause pain, swelling, breathlessness, and difficulty eating or sleeping. Previously, these patients needed to be admitted to the oncology ward before having the fluid drained by a specialist team. With hospital beds in high demand, this could result in longer waits for treatment and unnecessary discomfort.

Backed by Bid for Better funding, the team at Chilworth Day Unit has introduced a nurse-led service that enables patients to have the fluid drained and return home on the same day, rather than staying in hospital overnight.

In the first two months, 16 patients benefited from the new service, which has continued to expand since its launch. Before the service was introduced, patients admitted for this treatment spent an average of 4.6 days in hospital.

For patients and their families, this means less time spent in hospital, faster relief from distressing symptoms, and more valuable time together at home .

Emma Masters, Lead Nurse for Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) at Royal Surrey, said:

"Being able to offer patients quicker treatment, ease their symptoms and help them return home the same day has been enormously rewarding.

"Time is precious, and this is never more apparent than when someone is living with advanced cancer. Patients have told us how much they appreciate not having to stay in hospital. We also work hard to make their visits to Chilworth as relaxed and comfortable as possible.

"Bid for Better funding has been hugely beneficial in providing training for our nurses and helping us get this service up and running."

This is just one example of how Royal Surrey Charity's Bid for Better competition helps bring staff ideas to life, improving care and making a meaningful difference to patients and their families.

Find out more about Royal Surrey Charity.