New lung cancer clinics planned for Barnsley and Rotherham
It's to help bring treatment closer to home
Last updated 14th Oct 2024
Cancer treatment services are being spread around South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire to allow patients to be treated closer to home.
New lung cancer clinics are planned for Barnsley and Rotherham, oncologist Dr Trish Fisher told a meeting yesterday (October 11) of the South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The committee brings together councillors from the region to hear about health service changes.
Councillors heard that the long-term illness of one consultant has led to Barnsley lung cancer patients having to travel to Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield for face-to-face consultations.
Work is under way to establish a lung clinic serving the populations of Barnsley and Rotherham. A report to the committee said: “This is a temporary solution to support operational pressures and is not the commissioning of a new service. This means that there will be four sites offering face-to-face consultations supported by three lung oncology teams.”
The Mexborough Montagu Hospital was considered but Rotherham District General Hospital was chosen after consultations, including with patient representatives.
The aim is for more patients to be able to have non-surgical treatments closer to home.
Dr Fisher told the committee that, as a relatively small cancer centre near to bigger facilities such as the Christie in Manchester, it can be hard to attract high-level staff: “Consultants are drawn to places that are bigger and sexier with bigger and better kit”.
She said that it was a big achievement for the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust to successfully recruit four new breast consultant
oncologists.
The shortage of oncologists has meant those staff have to focus their work on the most demanding cases, which can be stressful, said Dr Fisher.
She said that Weston Park Cancer Charity’s Big Purple Buses have been vital to help improve levels of breast screening in areas such as Darnall in Sheffield. This is because many women are unhappy at undressing in front of strangers and can meet staff.
Committee chair Coun Ruth Milsom from Sheffield City Council said she had spotted one of the buses when it was giving advice on skin cancer melanomas. She said that giveaways of sunscreen were proving popular with visitors.