Cervical Screening is for everyone with a Cervix

Although cervical screening rates in many parts of Wessex are quite high, certain inequality groups have very much lower screening rates including ethnic minorities, LGBTIQ+, learning disabilities and people with Serious Mental Illness.

Please click here for further information regarding cervical screening for these inequality groups and links to some helpful resources. 

AccuRx Self Booking for Smear Appointments

Self-Book aims to save practices time by reducing the manual steps involved in booking patients into appointments.

Using Self-Book, practices can choose which patients to invite to a smear test with the practice nurse and send these patients a unique link via text.

Invited patients will be able to choose a time slot and day that they are available and, once chosen, they are booked directly into the practice’s appointment book without the need for the patient to call the surgery.

Self-Book: Using Self-Book for Face-to-face appointments | Accurx Help Centre

Practices will need to ensure a new slot type is created within their appointment books, so patients don’t accidentally book into the wrong appointment.

Further information can be found here;

Self-Book: How to set-up new Slot types in Systmone | Accurx Help Centre

Self-Book: How to set-up new Slot types in EMIS | Accurx Help Centre

Practice can also ensure the correct read/snomed code is added to the patient record as soon as the text is sent. This has been successfully adopted for blood test appointment as well as for flu vaccinations.

LGBT+

This month is Pride month, which provides an opportunity to highlight some of the barriers LGBT+ people face in relation to cancer, and what primary care can do to increase awareness of cancer and support those diagnosed with cancer in the LGBT+ community. 

Please click here for further information and a list of recommended resources. 

Myeloma

Myeloma is a cancer of bone marrow plasma cells which secrete abnormal antibodies (paraproteins) causing anaemia, bone pain, fatigue, infection and renal damage.

Early diagnosis is key to preventing end organ damage and impaired survival.

Myeloma accounts for 18% of blood cancers in the UK with 5,800 new cases each year. Incidence has increased by 32% since the early 1990s and predominantly occurs in older people. 30% of Myeloma patients are diagnosed at later stages as emergencies with reduced survival. 

When to suspect Myeloma - think CRAB

Raised Calcium, Renal impairment, Anaemia, raised ESR, Bone pain

Myeloma UK and GatewayC have useful resources.

FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Testing)

Wessex PCNs achieved an average of 64% against the IIF FIT Indicator for 22/23, just below the England average of 68%. This represents a significant increase in the use of FIT to accompany Lower GI suspected cancer referrals and reflects the huge amount of work that PCNs have done over the past year to embed this.

IIF Indicator CAN-02 - A reminder that the FIT Indicator for this year has changed slightly, and only Lower GI 2WW referrals with a FIT result recorded in the 21 days leading up to the referral will qualify.

Physical examination (including PR) - Please remember that it is very important to examine patients with symptoms of suspected colorectal cancer. Patients with abdominal, rectal or anal mass, or anal ulceration, should be referred directly on the LGI 2WW pathway without waiting for a FIT result.

New Wessex-wide 2WW Referral Form for Suspected Urological Cancer

Across Wessex, the prostate and urology 2WW referral forms have been merged, to create an updated single form for all suspected urological cancers.

The form incorporates the latest guidance from NICE on age related PSA reference ranges. Plans are in progress to update PSA ranges on all Trust ICE systems to align with this guidance.

The form is now available on GP clinical systems.

To further note, Trusts will be removing the prostate referral entry on the DOS (e-RS) to avoid any confusion with the move to a single form. This will mean all referrals will need to be made against the urology DOS entry.

To give feedback on the new form, or for any queries please contact england.wessexcanceralliance@nhs.net

Finding 2WW referral forms in Ardens

It is very important that the most up-to-date forms are used for suspected cancer referrals.

Wessex Cancer Alliance manage the development and update of 2WW fast track referral forms across Wessex. We work with secondary care specialists and primary care leads to ensure the forms reflect the latest guidance and evidence.

Ardens upload the forms centrally so they are available for both EMIS and SystmOne users. For details on where to find the forms on your system please see this guidance. To check that you are using the correct forms please view the latest versions on our website here. 

Cancer Matters Wessex and cancer messaging on practice websites and social media

Cancer Matters Wessex is our public-facing cancer information website serving the population of Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. It contains a wealth of relevant local information about support and services available for people affected by cancer, whether as a patient, carer, family member or friend.

Keith Withers, Digital Communications Lead, is meeting with teams at PCNs across the region (including Cancer Care Coordinators, Social Prescribers and Wellbeing Coaches) to promote awareness of Cancer Matters Wessex, and to talk about how Wessex Cancer Alliance can support with cancer messaging on practice websites and social media. You can also find out about the Cancer Care Map, a simple, free, online directory of cancer support services in your area.

If you would like to arrange a visit from Keith to your PCN, or an online meeting, please email keith.withers@nhs.net or phone 07500 226 215.

Macmillan Primary Care Conference - 11th October 2023

Registration is now open for the Macmillan Primary Care Conference, which is being held on the 11th October at The Hilton Metropole in Birmingham.

It will be a multidisciplinary conference and is open to any Professional working in Primary care.

Find out more and register here.