The Southwest Radiotherapy Late Effects Services (SWRLES) has received a positive evaluation from the NHS South Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW).
The SWRLES is a radiotherapy late effects service created in partnership between several radiotherapy departments in the south west. It tackles the late effects of radiotherapy, which can be challenging for cancer survivors. The service launched in August 2022.
Commissioned by the Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire Cancer Alliance (SWAG), the evaluation was compiled into a report published on 7 July.
The SWRLES was evaluated based on the “effectiveness, efficiency and experience of the SWRLES”, according to the report. Conclusions were drawn based on measures such as staff satisfaction assessments, patient symptom reporting and fundamental SWRLES data.
Advancements seen after the SWRLES programme was implemented included improved patient outcomes - including an enhanced quality of life among patients - and improved finances. For example, the report stated that the Somerset RLES has saved an estimated £774,000 in non-elective admissions since its inception.
An example to others
Macmillan Cancer Support - which funded SWRLES - provided a foreword to the report. It said that the late effects service is an ideal example of a service that provides high quality treatment and reduces variation in treatment and care.
“It has been a privilege for Macmillan to invest in and support this project, the first of its kind in the UK, whereby all the NHS trusts in SWAG cancer alliance have worked with Macmillan to give all patients across the Southwest region the same level of support,” the foreword reads.
“It has always been important to Macmillan that people affected by cancer receive high quality care and support to enable them to live well after cancer, as we move forward, we want to reduce variation in treatment and care through our partnerships and system transformation. There is no greater example of this than the Southwest late effects services.”
Putting south west on the map
Jo Penman, head of radiotherapy at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said that the team had presented the region as “the blueprint for regional, collaborative working.”
She said: “The award-winning south west team has effectively put radiotherapy late effects on the map of best practice for the country and internationally and have identified the region as the blueprint for regional, collaborative working.
“The teams should be immensely proud of what they have achieved for our patients in such a short period of time.”
Early last year, Synergyspoke to Therapeutic Radiographers across the south west who were involved in delivering the SWRLES programme. To read more about their experiences, read the February 2024 edition of Synergy here.
Image: Colleagues in the radiotherapy late effects team