Urological Cancer

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer is a life changing event and you and your family may experience a wide range of emotions during the treatment pathway.

There are many forms of urological cancer as listed below:

Kidney
Ureters – tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder.
Bladder
Prostate
Testes
Penile

We will be your keyworkers / nurse specialists to help you and your family through the next few weeks / months or years, for however long you may need our support.

We are available to contact regarding any concerns you may have, or merely to have someone to talk to.

Our working hours are Monday – Friday, 8.30 – 4.30pm. Our contact numbers are:

Urology Nurses 01932 723278 / 726621/6296 (office)
Urology Centre 01932 722770

Please leave a message if we are unavailable and we will return your call as soon as we can. If it is urgent please go through the single point of contact/patient navigators 01932 726856

For assistance regarding clinic appointments you may contact the Urology secretaries on numbers displayed on the urology letter head or via switchboard on 01932 872000

We encourage all patients to attend clinic appointments when invited to attend the hospital, with a family member or a friend for additional support.

Out of hours, please contact your GP, NHS direct 111 for advice or in case of emergency, visit the Accident and Emergency department at St Peter’s Hospital.

Urology Centre

The Urology Centre is based at St Peter’s Hospital on level 3, near to Heron Ward. This Centre is where all urological treatments are carried out which include catheter care, treatments for bladder cancer, flexible cystoscopy and urological surgery.

The Centre is open from 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday.

Telephone main reception – 01932 722770

Outpatient appointments will be by way of a telephone call or you may be invited in to the hospital to speak with a nurse or a doctor. Should you be required to attend the hospital you may be requested to under a COVID swab prior to your appointment. Please check your letter.

Our team

Terri Hess – Lead Urology Specialist Nurse: 01932 723278
Vicky Powell – Senior Urology Specialist Nurse: 01932 726621
Katarina Bunce – Senior Urology Specialist Nurse: 01932 726621
Silvie Maybey – Senior Urology Specialist Nurse: 01932 726296
Chrissie Audsley – Urology Specialist Nurse: 01932 722387
Pratiksha Gurung – Urology Specialist Nurse: 01932 722387
Single Point of Contact – Patient Navigator: 01932 726856

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What do Keyworkers do?

As your Keyworkers, our aim is to help coordinate your care and provide you with continuity. We can do this by acting as a link between you and the various departments, and other hospital trusts involved in your care.

We appreciate that this can be a very difficult time for you and your family / friends and you are likely to experience a wide range of emotions. It may be that you feel you need more information about your illness and the treatment or management planned for you. You may have choices to make, want to know what to expect in the future or want the opportunity to talk about how you are feeling.

We are here to answer any questions, discuss your individual worries or concerns, but also to talk as openly with you as you want about the impact and reality of your diagnosis and treatment.

At the start of your treatment an Individualised Information Prescription will be made for you.

It draws together a wealth of information available across the internet, from sites such as Macmillan and Cancer Research, to provide a single and accurate point of reference.

Both patients and health care professionals can access this. Users can then pick and choose the information they want – for example, about a particular cancer / radiotherapy / chemotherapy treatment or type of surgery.

We believe that if you are well informed you are better placed to make decisions about your care and well-being, and better able to manage changes in your health.

How is your care planned?

The Multi–Disciplinary team (MDT) meets weekly on a Tuesday morning to discuss all newly diagnosed patients. The members of the MDT work very closely with other members of the team. These members include: Urology Consultants, Radiographers, Oncologists, Pathologists, Cancer Coordinators and Urology Nurse Specialists / Keyworkers.

All the investigations that have been performed are discussed and a recommended treatment plan agreed. This will then be discussed with you in the outpatient department, and we will keep you informed of the outcomes of this meeting throughout your treatment pathway.

During your treatment or follow-up surveillance, the MDT will discuss any investigations that may be of concern.

We will liaise with your hospital team, GPs, district nurses and Community Macmillan Nurses as required.

Your keyworker can also provide assistance with any of the following:

Advise of who your Named Key worker / Named Clinical Nurse Specialist will be.
How to access your Key worker / Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Written information regarding your condition and treatment options available to you including side effects of the treatment.
Verbal and written information on local and national services for all aspects of support services including emotional and psychological support for you and your family.
Information on how to access financial support and entitlement for free prescription.
Entitlement to copies of consultants’ clinic letters to GP.
Information on any current research trials.
Provide clarification of any test results and treatment plans if explanation in clinic not fully understood.
Encouragement to bring a friend / adult family member to appointments.
Involvement in care plan during any emergency admission to hospital.
Provide help and advice regarding lifestyle choices and aiding recovery into daily living after treatment and beyond.

About your Treatment

The treatment plan discussed may involve Surgery, Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, Hormone Therapy or other Targeted Therapy. Your key worker/Consultant/Research Nurse will explain the risks and benefits of your proposed treatment so that you can give informed consent.

You may be asked to participate in research trials at any point of your treatment.

Acute Oncology Service

This service provides access to specialist oncology advice and assessment for patients presenting with acute cancer - related problems needing unplanned and sometimes emergency treatment.

The benefit of the service is that patients with cancer related problems admitted to A&E and to the wards can be seen more quickly and feel more reassured that their care and correct treatment is being planned and delivered.

Survivorship - Living with and beyond cancer

Macmillan has partnered with the Department of Health to create the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative to improve services for cancer survivors in England.

These initiatives are focused on the five survivorship stages:

Support from the point of diagnosis
Promoting recovery
Sustaining recovery
Managing the consequences of treatment
Supporting people with active and advanced diseases

As keyworkers, we aim to provide a holistic approach to your care and support you through your entire journey from diagnosis to end of treatment and beyond. We encourage an active, healthy lifestyle and will assist to promote wellbeing so that all aspects of your life can be fulfilled and normality for you resumed.

For further information and support

Visit The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI) website - a partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support.

The Fountain Centre is based at The Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford and provides complementary therapies and a counselling service for cancer patients and their relatives / friends; visit www.fountaincentre.org

Visit The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI) website – a partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support

The Fountain Centre is based at The Royal Surrey Hospital at Guildford and provides complimentary therapies and a counselling service for cancer patients and their relatives/friends. Visit www.fountaincentre.org

Maggie's West London is at the Charing Cross Hospital and offers professional support to people with cancer and their loved ones; visit www.maggiescentres.org/westlondon

Please contact your keyworker for advice on support groups.

Palliative care

‘Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing problems associated with life threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychological and spiritual.’ (World Health Organisation 2002)

Referral to specialist palliative care services in the hospital or in the community may be facilitated by your Keyworker, GP or Consultant.

Macmillan resource room

This room is in St Peter’s Hospital Outpatients’ Department, area 2. It offers a quiet place for people to sit. It has a variety of information that you may find helpful, from financial planning to healthy eating, exercise, and support agencies available for patients diagnosed with cancer.

Macmillan financial advice line - Are able to offer advice regarding benefits that you may be entitled to.

Telephone: 0808 808 0000 or Citizens Advice Bureau visit: www.citizensadvicesurrey.org.uk (Woking Office 01483 541666).

Pastoral and Spiritual Care

The Trust Pastoral and Spiritual Care Team aims to be available to ALL patients, staff and visitors of all faiths and of none.

The team is also happy to assist in making contact with other religious leaders of the appropriate faith in the local community.

Members of the team visit the wards regularly. However, if they or another religious leader is needed urgently, or if a visit is required at a specific time, please contact the Hospital switchboard and ask for the "on call" Chaplain. This may be done by dialing "0" from one of the internal phones or 01784 884488 / 01932 872000 if you are ringing from outside the Hospitals.

The small multi–faith chapel situated on level 2 welcomes everyone.

Interpreters / translation services

Interpreters and translation services can be available for non-English speaking, deaf or visually impaired patients if required.

Written information can also be obtained as required.

Chaperone’s can also be made available before a consultation or procedure if requested by the patient.

Improving Cancer Care and action Group (ICCAG)

This is a group of cancer patients and family members / carers who have recently set up a cancer service user forum. The focus of the group is to work together with the Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals Cancer Team to find ways of improving the care and the experience of being diagnosed with cancer and undergoing treatment for patients and their families. If you are interested in joining or learning more about their work, they would be delighted to meet you. Please ask your dedicated Keyworker for meeting dates.