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Are you a cancer patient, or do you care for someone who has cancer?
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Would you like to help improve local cancer services?
Your experience is valuable to us and we welcome your comments and suggestions. Please come and join us to help improve cancer services in our hospitals.
What is a patient / carer representative?
A patient/carer representative is someone who has had experience of cancer, either as a patient or a carer. They want to use their experience to improve cancer care in their area.
No formal qualifications are necessary to join the cancer patient forum. Your experiences of cancer, as well as your life experiences are the most important factors.
What are the benefits of being a representative?
As a representative you will play an active role in improving the provision of local cancer services.
The cancer patient forum is not a cancer support group, nor is it an arena for bringing complaints or grievances against the Trust. However, your experience may be useful in helping us improve the care that we provide.
The group is also affiliated with the South West London Cancer Network (SWLCN) Patient Partnership, which means issues and concerns can be fed back via the Forum to the SWLCN representatives. This will help to improve cancer services within the network.
There is no salary for your involvement but your out-of-pocket expenses will be covered.
What would I be expected to do?
The role of a representative is to represent patients, carers and the public, influencing change by speaking on behalf of yourself and others. All members will be encouraged to explore ways of keeping in touch with patients and the public to find out their views and suggestions on services.
A member would be:
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committed to improving the patient and carer experience;
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able to represent other people's views, not just their own, in giving the patient's point of view;
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prepared to contribute fully in meetings;
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willing to play an active role in the work of the group;
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capable of looking at emotive or controversial issues in a fair and unbiased way.
The cancer patient forum has also contributed to:
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giving feedback to invited speakers from specialist areas within the Trust;
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improvements in hospital signage;
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making the information library in the Butterfly Centre patient friendly;
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giving feedback on the proposed development of the Butterfly Room at St Helier Hospital;
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the Patient Environment Assessments carried out within the Trust.
How much of my time will this take?
At present, meetings are held once every six weeks on a Wednesday from 10am - 11.30am in the Macmillan Butterfly Centre at Epsom Hospital.
Projects may arise from these meetings, which may involve commitment of additional time if you are interested.
How do I become a cancer service representative at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust?
The first step is to contact the Macmillan cancer information manager, Tarlika Patel, on 01372 73 5456 to discuss how you would like to get involved.
