The service has been awarded the Myeloma UK Clinical Service Excellence Programme Accreditation (Myeloma UK CSEP Accreditation) from Myeloma UK, and was presented with a plaque during a Myeloma support group session at the Cedar Centre in King George Hospital, on Monday 29 July.

The accreditation recognises the Trust’s commitment to providing superior treatment to myeloma patients, and helping to make improvements in the wider healthcare community.

This puts the Trust in just a handful of trusts to have achieved this level of accreditation, and there was particular praise for the Cancer Nurse Specialists.

Kate Williams, Macmillan Haematology Advanced Nurse Practitioner, set up a patient group, based at the Cedar Centre at King George Hospital for myeloma patients, which has been a huge success.

Kate said: “I am thrilled we have received this recognition. We work really hard to make sure our patients receive the best care and support possible. This is only achieved because of such great collaborative working with colleagues across a range of specialisms including clinical trials, palliative care, psychology, welfare support and teams on the cancer wards”.

Myeloma is a blood cancer which is currently incurable, but treatment can be effective at controlling the disease, relieving its symptoms and prolonging the lives of patients.  

Dave Oliver, a patient diagnosed with Myeloma in January 2018, said: “Kate approached me and asked if I and my wife would help set up a support group, which we agreed to. We’ve had two or three meetings and it was very new to everybody to start with, the first week people sat back and listened, but now there’s a lot more interactive chat between everyone. We’ve had about 18 to 20 people coming and it’s been very helpful to people at different levels. It’s not for everyone, but I think a lot of people get a lot from it.”

Suzanne Renwick, Healthcare Professional Projects Manager, Myeloma UK, said: “Being presented with the Myeloma UK CSEP Accreditation is a considerable achievement and shows that BHRUT is dedicated to providing excellent treatment and care. The Myeloma UK CSEP accreditation demonstrates the gold standard of myeloma care.”