NICE issues new guidelines
Children and teenagers who develop cancer must have specialist treatment in proper pediatric facilities, according to guidelines issued yesterday. Children and teenagers up to the age of 19 must be treated in “age-appropriate” facilities, according to the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). The guidance was welcomed by cancer campaigners – amid alarm at how the healthcare jobs required to meet these guidelines can be financed.
The guidance says children should have “access” to medical specialists with specific knowledge of the tumours or treatment needed.
It calls for child patients and their families to be allocated key workers to coordinate their care and provide information in an “age and culture” appropriate format.
Simon Davies, of the Teenage Cancer Trust said: Our collective challenge now is to turn guidance into practice as quickly and smoothly as possible.
“The recognition that teenagers and young adults with cancer have a right to specialist
facilities finally brings health services in line with other walks of life. The fact that
NICE has recommended that age appropriate, safe and effective services are
provided alongside training for health professionals at every stage, at all levels, is
music to our ears.”
Sister Rachel Hollis, of St James?s Hospital, Leeds, said the implementation of the guidance would be “an important first step”. She said: ” In particular we welcome the opportunity to focus on the role of the key worker, a role that for most of these patients will be taken by a nurse.?
Peter Littlejohns, of NICE, said the treatment of teenagers was a particular issue. He said: ?The distinct needs of young people with cancer have been increasingly recognised over recent years. Many young people do not feel comfortable within the paediatric setting, but they have unique needs that may not be addressed within adult services.”
But Juliet Bouverie, of Macmillan Cancer Relief, said: “While we welcome this guidance which recognises that children and young people have particular care needs that must be addressed, we are concerned that unless the NHS and local authorities make additional funding available there simply won?t be the money needed to ensure that these recommendations become a reality.”
She added: “The NHS must ensure that young people and their families receive good quality information and social support, that specialist benefits advice is made available from diagnosis onwards, and that families are routinely informed of the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme so that they do not incur extra costs travelling long distances to specialist services.”
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