To ask the Minister of Health what actions he has taken on improving support for patients on Active Monitoring after a diagnosis of leukaemia or prostate cancer.

All prostate patients have a key worker or a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS). CNS’s offer a Holistic Needs Assessment, (HNA) for all men on their first review following treatment and are involved with men during the whole pathway from investigation, diagnosis through treatment and follow up. The HNA allows men to talk through their needs and concerns with their CNS. The patient and CNS then agree on a plan for care and support needs.

Prostate cancer patients on active monitoring are managed in line with an agreed nurse led prostate active surveillance pathway. Nurse led prostate cancer review clinics are established in all 4 of the Trusts where urology patients are managed. These clinics review men undergoing active surveillance, watchful waiting, androgen deprivation and following radiotherapy, brachytherapy and robotic prostatectomy treatments.

The majority of men suitable for the Active Surveillance pathway will be followed up for their prostate cancer by a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS). These follow up clinics are a mix of telephone and face to face reviews and take place on a 3-4 monthly basis for each patient. At these appointments, the patient will receive updated PSA blood results and or results from surveillance MRI. Their lower urinary tract symptoms will be discussed and addressed (if required) and they will be given the opportunity to ask questions about their condition. If appropriate, their next MRI scans will be ordered, they may be booked for further surveillance biopsies or represented at the MDT meeting if needed.

Leukaemia

Leukaemia patients are managed in line with recognised clinical pathways which includes palliative chemotherapy or supportive care. They are regularly reviewed at outpatient clinics. Additional review appointments are arranged as and when clinically indicated. Patients eligible for transplant are referred onto Belfast Trust who provide this service for the region.

With the exception of SEHSCT where Leukaemia patients are reviewed as part of consultant led follow-up and patients may contact their key worker between appointments, in other Trusts for patients diagnosed with a haematological malignancy and on active monitoring have regular review carried out by a clinical nurse specialist (CNS). This pathway supports the patient and facilitates rapid access to the consultant should this be required. Clinical Nurse Specialists are present at the time of diagnosis and explain the diagnosis and the Plan of Care. CNS also invite the patient to complete a Holistic Needs Assessment post diagnosis. In addition, there are Health and Wellbeing sessions for patients on the Active Monitoring Pathway in some Trusts.

All cancer patients are signposted or referred to the Trusts Macmillan Health and Wellbeing service which can refer the patients to available relevant support services and groups.