Nuffield Health Plymouth & University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trust
Date of publication: 1st May 2020
Nuffield Health’s Plymouth Hospital is currently hosting University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trust oncology department and is treating NHS patients undergoing cancer treatment, freeing up capacity for the NHS Trust to care for people showing Covid-19 symptoms, and shields vulnerable cancer patients during the pandemic.
The Trust’s oncology department moved into the Nuffield Health’s Plymouth Hospital on Monday 6th April after an intensive, fast-paced relocation project. This saw Nuffield Health’s Hospital set-up with the essential medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, IT network capabilities and clinical governance collaboration implemented to run the NHS oncology department safely and effectively for cancer patients. Before the move took place, Nuffield Health’s staff, both clinical and non-clinical, received essential oncology training within a week to ensure all staff were upskilled appropriately. The training was successfully achieved through a unique collaboration between Nuffield Health, UHP, Mustard Tree Macmillan Centre and St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth.
Sian Dennison, Head of Nursing Cancer and End of Life, and Sarah Flavell, Cluster Manager Oncology and Haematology, from University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, said: “In this current pandemic and a time of great challenge, anxiety and stress to patients and staff, it’s with great pride we have watched teams of staff come together and united continue to deliver the best care and service to our patients. We have watched them smile, laugh and work incredibly hard to set this service up quickly and efficiently. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen from transport teams, porters, cleaners, to clinical and non-clinical teams across all providers.”
Patricia Warwick, Hospital Director at Nuffield Health Plymouth Hospital, says: “The situation we are experiencing right now in healthcare worldwide is extraordinary, these are untrodden paths and it’s fantastic the independent sector and the NHS can come together in the interest of public health. We are doing all we can to support Derriford Hospital, from sharing our employees and a large section of our hospital to ensure that the oncology services can continue to be run in a safe and effective environment, whilst ensuring that Derriford Hospital frees up capacity and is best prepared to care for and treat COVID-19 patients.
“The oncology training that all my staff received was first class and I thank all parties involved for moving so quickly. Our theatres are now set up for chemotherapy patients, our ward is taking in oncology inpatients, we have set up an oncology outpatients department, ensured that a CT scanner in onsite, adapted our pharmacy, phlebotomy service and all our administrative and reception services to ensure they are best equipped to support the NHS.”