The NW CC ODN was established in October 2022. An official Launch Event took place on 20th January 2023; there was excellent attendance and representation of stakeholders across the region for the official launch of the network. The Operational Delivery Network initial Network Oversight Group (NOG) meeting occurred. The frequency of NOGs will be quarterly. Future dates; Friday 21st April 2023 Friday 21st July 2023 & Friday 20th October 2023. Invites have been circulated to the membership list.
Service Scoping
The NW CC ODN has a crucial role in supporting providers to deliver and maintain the national standards. To obtain an understanding of the existing care provision within the current Principal Treatment Centres (PTCs) and Paediatric Oncology Shared Care Units (POSCUs), the NW CC ODN commenced a baseline scope of the services.
Within the scoping of services, the ODN have been facilitating supported self-assessments against the published Service Specifications for children’s cancer services. This analysis is against the Service Specification Standards (2019).
The aim of the self-assessment project is to ensure all elements of quality are considered across the delivery of care and utilised effectively to inform clinically driven change and improvement.
There has been remarkable engagement with the providers. The informal discussions have provided a detailed insight into the services.
These conversations have sparked further discussion about what is working well, recognising the service provision in place, identifying the challenges and gaps. Where requested, site visits have taken place to understand patient flow. The ODN are keen to carry out site visits across all providers in the near future.
The ODN are currently planning Phase 3 of the project; and will be visiting the supra-network of POSCUs within North Wales and Isle of Man.
All information will be collated and thematically analysed before high level development plans are coproduced, specific to each provider. The ODN will be formulating a report and shared learning is encouraged so we can celebrate and mirror effective ways of working across the region.
Patient, Public Involvement
A crucial aspect of service development within the ODN will be the active involvement and engagement with patients, families and members of the public to plan, manage and design the service development. The ODN intends to listen to patients and families lived experiences and map out the patient pathways. Scoping of current PPI is underway.
If you have any oncology patients or families who are on forums / committees feel free to provide the ODN contact details as their voice and experiences are crucial in strategic planning and service development. We will be working with patient experience leads within trusts to involve families.
Strategy Development Workshops
The NW CC ODN will be facilitating workshops for professionals to attend. The aim of the workshops is to agree priorities and to coproduce a strategy and work plan. There are 3 workshops over the month; professionals are encouraged to attend 1 out of 3 of the workshops. Multiple dates have been offered to capture professionals within different organisations across the NW. It is an exciting opportunity for professionals to be involved in the development of the newly established ODN and to shape the future of Children’s Cancer within the North West region.
Location of Workshops:
- Please note all workshops are face to face across
- Cheshire & Merseyside, Greater Manchester and
- Lancs & South Cumbria.
Dates of Workshops:
- Wednesday 22nd March 10am-1pm
- Thursday 23rd March 10am-1pm
- Monday 27th March 1pm-4pm
Book via the link: NW CC ODN Workshops March 2023
Collaborative Working
The ODN work in partnership with multiple organisations, charities and ODNs; regionally and nationally.
NW TYA ODN
The North West Teenage and Young Adult ODN launched in April 2022, covering the provision of cancer services for people aged 16 to 24 years old. Considering the NHS Long Term Plan and revised TYA Service Specifications the ODN has four Strategic Priorities: 1) Governance, Enablement, and Assurance; 2) Pathway and Access; 3) Genomics and Tumour Banking; 4) Research and Clinical Trials.
In our first year, the ODN is completing a Service Review, benchmarking our three Primary Treatment Centres and 12 Designated Hospitals to the Service Specification. We are using the results to make plans for next year onwards. Additionally, we’ve started a Whole Genome Sequencing and Tumour Biobanking working group to map out our service and make plans for the future.
We know that our workforce is our greatest asset, so we’ve sponsored 40 TYA education day places across the region this year. The ODN welcomes support and input from colleagues across the North West. To find out more about the work of the ODN, please follow our NHS Futures-page, https://future.nhs.uk/NorthWestTeenYoungAdultODN, or email Lucy McKie lucy.mckie@nhs.net
Young Lives vs Cancer
(YLvsC) “provides psychosocial support that helps young cancer patients and their families with adaptation to diagnosis, treatment and transition to survivorship as well as end of life and bereavement support. YLvsC social workers are based regionally in all principal treatment centres across the UK and in some shared care hospitals. Their local and digital social care service provides emotional, practical, social and financial support to patients (0-24) and their families. The level of support provided is based on individual assessed need and may include allocation of a social worker.” Saiorse Currie, Team Manager.
Are you interested in attending the CCLG Annual Meeting?
Please get in touch with the NW CC ODN to support with expenses. First come first served basis.