great danes

Today we have been to the Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance Engagement Event at the Mecure Maidstone, Great Danes Hotel, Ashford Rd, where I had been asked to give my story but I was amazed to find I was the key speaker.

All those wonderful Doctors and Nurses Clinical, Research Radiographers GP’s just about every department of the NHS was represented and they all listened to the Patient. I was so honoured and so nervous.

Ian Vosden Quality Improvement Lead at NHS England Opened the meeting:

Matthew Kershaw

Chief Executive, East Kent Hospitals University NHS
Foundation Trust, Chair of Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance

Dr Henry Taylor
Consultant in Clinical Oncology, Co-Chair Kent and
Medway Cancer Alliance
They spoke about the new Alliance Plan and lead the delivery of the transformation required to implement the Cancer Taskforce strategy locally so they need to engage land involve our local stakeholders and to begin on going engagement that was why we had been invited to the days meeting.
A bid has been submitted for funding to develop diagnostic hub which will be supported by the National Cancer Team.
After a coffee all of us returned to the room and there were tables set out as working groups. as 4 sections we could join. Prevention, Early Diagnosis, Living with and beyond, Treatment and care.
Each table put their ideas forward and discussed and we came up with a final list each.
It was so interesting Ray and I joined the Prevention and Early diagnosis workshops.
These groups are being formed right through the NHS and if you really want to make a change in the NHS please join in at your region network.
Understand How we can minimise our risk to cancer, seek help with concern about early signs and symptoms, be offered options of different needs, have equality communities, have cancer signs and symptoms identified promptly and fast tracked through acccesabilty, diagnostic services so they rapidly access the appropriate care, be fi=ully included in decisions about our treatment, be supported and take an active role in managing our own care, have cancer outcomes in line with those of the best systems in Europe, have care provided in a integrated and patient centred way.

The meeting came to an end and we had to say our goodbyes but seems we have joined in a very exciting group and I look forward to more meetings.