5 North Mid and RFL staff work side by side at CFH Improving clinical services As well as oncology, we are looking at making changes to how we run colorectal surgery and our research programmes as part of the first phase of our merger, as well as establishing further surgical hubs. Research We will tackle the current inequalities in access to research trials and new treatments, where legal and regulatory barriers limit the collaboration that is possible at present. This will allow greater access to potentially life-changing innovative treatments for North Mid patients and a more diverse patient base for RFL trials. Surgical hubs We will draw on the success of our existing surgical hubs for orthopaedics and ophthalmology to create a network of centres of surgical excellence. Here patients will be seen quicker for common procedures and receive consistently excellent care. Pre and postsurgery appointments will be at whichever of our hospitals is closest to a patient’s home, travelling to the hub only for their procedure. Colorectal surgery We will realise our vision to become a centre of excellence for bowel cancer and complex surgical treatment, focused on innovation through the use of robotic technology, early screening and integrating our service as one to provide 24/7 specialist care close to home. How to find out more The latest news about the merger can be found on our website – royalfree.nhs.uk/northmidmerger We will be also holding a public and patient event about the merger in late autumn, which will be advertised on our website and via social media. If you have any questions or feedback about the merger, please email rf-tr.northmid@nhs.net Merger timeline is similar. Meeting our cancer targets is a challenge against this backdrop. The merger is our opportunity to change how we provide care where it is needed the most, reducing time to treatment and ensuring all our patients can access the latest, most effective advances in cancer care, no matter where they live. Bob’s story Bob’s first experience of cancer was with his wife at North Mid. After she passed away, he was diagnosed with cancer himself and treated at the RFH. The care was different at both hospitals which meant Bob had to get to know a whole new system at an already stressful time in his life. What mattered most to Bob during this time was not where he was treated but having an experience that was familiar to him and support on hand. “We have high levels of expertise and excellence at both RFL and North Mid and are working together to ensure our patients receive excellent cancer care, meeting their needs with the best possible outcomes,” explains Jemma O’Reilly, lead cancer nurse at the RFL. Bernie Byrne, associate director of nursing for cancer, palliative care and end of life, and Macmillan trust lead cancer nurse at North Mid, added: “By bringing our work together we can improve the patient experience with more care closer to home for patients where possible, while at the same time ensuring that we have seamless pathways that ease a patient’s treatment journey.”
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