Cancer patients' from Ilkley receive a 'very good to excellent level of nursing

support' at Airedale General Hospital according to a new report.

And the Airedale Primary Care Trust (PCT), which took control of district nurses from the Airedale NHS Trust last October, is to provide more outreach nurses to visit cancer patients in their homes.

The PCT has received funding from Macmillan and Marie Curie to provide new nurses to replace district nurses in Airedale who are being relocated from the Ardenlea hospice, Queen's Drive, Ilkley to a new hospice in the centre of Bradford.

Nursing staff say the emphasis in Airedale is now focused on providing care for people in their own homes, rather than in hospitals and hospices.

The findings of an independent survey into cancer patient care commissioned by Airedale Hospital also reveals there is no evidence to suggest that Macmillan nurses provide a better service than community- based specialist cancer nurses.

However, the report has identified a need for increased multi-disciplinary team

meetings for care staff. The investigation was carried out after Ann Wherrett, a cancer patient at Airedale and former Macmillan nurse, complained last summer that cancer patients' in Airedale were "treated like cattle."

Mrs Wherrett from Starbotton, North Yorkshire, also questioned why Airedale NHS Trust did not employ the services of Macmillan nurses for cancer patients' like herself.

The report into nursing standards concludes: "Whilst all the risks and benefits of a Macmillan service need to be considered, the outcomes of this research demonstrate that all aspects of nursing support

delivered to Airedale patients' range from very good to excellent.

"There is no other evidence to suggest that any changes are required to the level or type of nursing support offered to patients' with cancer.

"Primary health care teams need to devote time to more opportunities for multi-disciplinary team meetings, although there is no evidence to suggest that this lack of meetings has an adverse effect on patient care." Director of nursing and quality Sue Franks at the hospital in Steeton, near Keighley, commissioned the survey, which was carried out by a Macmillan nurse from the Durham area between last September and October.

She said: "The report has shown that patients have a need for information about their care and disease and they need people around them with good communication skills.

"One of the most important aspects is the need for psychological support more than any other disease. I never expected the research to demonstrate our services are poor because prior to this we hadn't received a complaint, but I wasn't prepared for the level of excellence in the delivery of care to patients with cancer.

"The recommendation agreed by myself and the external evaluator was that there should be more time for multi-disciplinary meetings."

Different questionnaires were sent to Nurses, GP's and cancer patients' at

different levels of treatment. Patients' were questioned on a number of subjects including the availability of information, communication, psychological support, physical care, symptom control, organisation of nursing support and transfer of care. A total of 54 patients' made positive

comments about the present service against ten negative comments.