Cancer support team wins award for prison visits

A cancer team has won a regional award for its "massive" support to 200 prisoners.

The Living With and Beyond Cancer team at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) won Healthier Futures' Wolverhampton Team of the Year award.

Collaborating with cancer support charity Macmillan and HMP Oakwood at Featherstone, the team worked to improve access to healthcare and information, and boost appointment attendance rates.

It means 2,136 inmates now have access to trained cancer champions among their colleagues, and healthcare information.

Cancer care navigator Kelly Ward, who visits the prison monthly, said: "To be recognised for our continued support of patients in all areas, without judgment, has been a huge boost for our team."

She said the team were proud to support all patients in all settings and jumped at the chance to get involved.

"Due to rules in prison, inmates were unable to have support at appointments surrounding cancer investigation, diagnosis or follow-ups," Ms Ward said.

"Previously they struggled to access information booklets and information at appointments to take back with them to read and gain understanding of their pathway."

Also known as Black Country Integrated Care System, Healthier Futures brings providers and commissioners of NHS services together with local authorities and other partners to plan and deliver joined-up services to improve people's lives.

The judges' shortlisting said: "The team has improved pathways and communication, delivered cancer champion training to inmates, which allows them to support each other and hosted cancer awareness sessions for more than 200 inmates. A massive piece of work that deserves recognition."

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