SCAN team scoop award for treating cancer patients

Date: 11 December 2019

OUH_staff_awards

Congratulations to the SCAN Pathway Team, which has been recognised for its hard work in detecting cancer and other serious illnesses in patients in Oxfordshire.

The team won the Improvement and Innovation category at this year’s Oxford University Hospitals ‘Staff Recognition Awards’ in December.

The service, which is now commissioned by Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, is based at the Churchill and John Radcliffe Hospitals in Oxford. It diagnoses illnesses in patients who display ‘non-specific’ symptoms, such as tiredness or weight loss, which might indicate a more serious condition.

The pilot service was a team effort originally funded by Cancer Research UK to ensure patients with these symptoms are seen by the team within two weeks following a referral by a doctor – much faster than previously.

Since its launch, 145 patients who underwent a CT scan were found to have cancer (9.4% of patients who met the criteria for investigation) and were then able to start appropriate treatment quickly. In addition to CT scans, the team uses laboratory tests to detect cancer and other illnesses, which have included heart conditions, Addison’s disease and hernias.

Dr Shelley Hayles, Planned Care and Cancer Clinical Lead at Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We’re thrilled that our team, including the dedicated clinicians and other staff, have been recognised for all their success in detecting cancer and other illnesses promptly in patients.  The team’s detection rate is higher than the national average which demonstrates how this service plays an important role in tackling cancer in Oxfordshire. We’ll continue to work closely with the team to ensure all their success and hard work continues into the future.”

Note
• The SCAN Pathway Team service is provided by Oxfordshire University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
• For more information on the Oxford University Hospitals ‘Staff Recognition Awards’ ceremony see here

  • Summary:

    Team detecting cancer in patients promptly.

  • Transformation:
  • Date:
    11 December 2019