Introduction

Cancer Standards were introduced by the Welsh Assembly in 2005 with the promise that they would be implemented by March 2009...........not long to go!

Our community cancer conference and launch of our Charter of Rights in 2008 identified shortfalls in implementation of the standards in RCT by the agreed timescales. The Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Partnership's 2008-2011 Strategy also showed little support for people affected by cancer.

We started up the Cancer Focus Group in RCT to empower cancer patients and carers to have their say and work with health professionals to implement the standards and improve cancer services. The group is open to all cancer and carer groups and we aim to involve and engage as many cancer service users as possible, to identify shortfalls in information and services and work towards finding solutions.  The group is facilitated by Interlink and reports to RCT's Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Partnership.

Information needs and Carers were the first to be addressed and  Cancer Information and Cancer Carers’ sub groups were set up.  

Achievements:

Information
The group includes patients, carers, support officers in Velindre, Royal Glamorgan and Prince Charles Hospitals, the Princess Royal Trust for Carers and advised by Macmillan,  Breast Cancer Care Cymru, and Carers UK.

The Cancer Standards 2005 introduced patient centred care with cancer patients and carers being promised "support and all the information they require regarding the diagnosis, treatment options and treatment care plan." We found information supplied was patchy, inconsistent and sometimes non-existent.

• We are now working with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Adult services in RCT, Councillor Mike Forey, and Macmillan to pioneer cancer and carer information in libraries. Information on prevention and early detection, an understanding of cancer, what care you can expect if you are diagnosed and information for carers, should be available in 2009.
  
  
• We are working with Cwm Taff's Cancer Strategy Group to provide patient and carer information packs on diagnosis, complying with the Cancer Standards.

Carers
November 2008: We held a Cancer Carers Workshop (see carers section for report) to identify the needs of carers and engage with healthcare providers to improve services and enable carers to continue their invaluable work supporting loved ones through difficult times while also looking after their own health .

January 2009:  we held a feedback session.

 Since that time RCT have now launched into a new Carers' Strategy with a carers' workshop which identified the need for representation by all carer groups and the first Carers Strategy Group met in February 2009.

I am very proud that we have achieved so much since our focus groups were set up in April 2008. We have succeeded in setting up a mechanisms to enable people affected by cancer to have their say in improving cancer services.

I am also grateful to the Trustees and members of RBF, the members of the Cancer Focus Groups and Sub Groups, our supporters and members of the public who have given of their time to attend meetings, organise events, promote events, support or fundraise for us, it would not have happened without you.

Diane Raybould