We are listening – help us find the way forward

Hello Everyone,

My name is Margaret,

I’d like to share some of the work we are undertaking in NHS Lanarkshire Cancer Services using the Macmillan Values Based Standard.

The Macmillan Values Based Standard was developed with more than 300 patients and their carers, along with healthcare professionals. The idea was to develop a standard for cancer care services based upon human rights principles. It builds on the views and aspirations of patients, carers and professionals to provide a framework for improving patients’ and professionals’ experience of healthcare. It identifies specific behaviours – practical things that staff can do on a day-to-day basis to ensure that people’s rights, including dignity and respect are protected. It focuses on the ‘moments that matter’ to people and their carers and it builds increased trust and improved relationships between professionals, patients and carers.

NHS Lanarkshire staff from Breast and Haematology tumour groups are currently working with, and benefiting from the expert advice and support provided by MacMillan Cancer Support colleagues. The Macmillan Values Based Standard is structured around eight behaviours. These are designed to effect positive change in professional’ and patients’ relationships, drive up performance – especially in patient experience, satisfaction and outcomes – and protect care rights. The eight behaviours are described as:

• Naming
• Private Communication
• Communicating with more sensitivity
• Clinical treatment and decision making
• ‘Acknowledge me if I’m in urgent need’
• Control over personal space and environment
• ‘Managing on my own’
•  Getting care right

The Macmillan Values Based Standard is not a project but an organisational focus on continuous improvement with professionals and patients working to design and implement improvement.

Applying this framework encourages a three-phased approach and concentrates on:

• Discovering – what is really going on?
• Innovating – what interventions may help?
• Improving – measure, sustain and spread improvement

The Breast team in NHS Lanarkshire have used the questionnaires developed by Macmillan to glean feedback from patients, carers and staff to find out what is really going on. We held a “way forward” event in June 2015 for patients and carers to share lived experience with us.

                                          Staff listening to lived experience 

We will be concentrating on making improvements in the following areas as a result of your feedback:

• Environment
• Time
• Communication
• Information
• Education

The Haematology team are at the start of their MVBS journey which will culminate in the “way forward” event which is being planned for September 2015; if you would like to find out more about the event please get in touch with me on:

Tel No: 01236 712570

We will continue to update you on improvements in Cancer Services via blogs on the Patient Opinion website.

If you have an experience of Cancer Services you would like to share, please speak to a member of staff, respond on Patient Opinion, or visit the “Your Feedback” Section of the NHS Lanarkshire website to see the other ways to get in touch www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk.

Kind Regards

Margaret