Patients at the Royal United Hospital will now be able to receive high quality and expert cancer care from a new specialist acute oncology service.
The Acute Oncology Service will play an important part in managing urgent care when a cancer patient needs it.
A team made up of a senior cancer nurse, consultant oncologist and specialised nurses will provide high quality and expert cancer care working alongside the emergency department, general medicine and surgery.
Consultant Medical Oncologist Dr Louise Medley said: "This service will improve outcomes for cancer patients requiring urgent care as rapid specialist review can prevent the onset, or quickly manage serious complications, improve a person's experience of care, reduce the need for emergency admissions, and shorten patients' hospital stay.
"The Acute Oncology Service is not a new way of referring patients to our cancer services; that hasn't changed, all patients with a suspected cancer referred by their GP will be seen within two weeks.
"This is an additional service that helps to make sure emergency cancer patients receive the quickest and most appropriate treatment when they are in crisis, with access to specialist support and reassurance."
The new service will be available from 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday.
Outside of these hours the consultant oncologist provides specialist advice and works alongside the existing medical teams.
One patient who has benefited from getting specialist oncology advice via the Acute Oncology Service is Wendy Fletcher from Dunkerton.
While having a routine blood test, Wendy told the phlebotomist about her swollen leg who notified staff in outpatients.
She was fast-tracked into a clinic to be seen by a consultant, and after tests she was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis, receiving treatment straightaway.
Normally a patient would have to return to the medical assessment unit and wait for a scan which all takes time.
Wendy said: "I'm really grateful that I was seen and treated quickly without the need to stay in hospital. It made me feel safe and well cared for."
Dr Medley said: "In one week, 17 new patients were referred to the new acute oncology service, and our input directly affected length of stay for 14 of those patients.
"It avoided admission to hospital altogether for two of them.
"Staff have been very positive and enthusiastic about the new service, and there's a strong feeling that patients will benefit hugely, which is fantastic."
