2nd November 2016
New telemedicine service brings expert care closer to home for cancer patients
The benefits that a high-tech telemedicine service is bringing to cancer patients like Nigel Howells are obvious.
Being able to link up with specialist speech and language therapists based at Swansea’s Morriston Hospital without having to leave his home town of Llanelli means a lot to Nigel, who was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer 18 months ago.
“It is much easier for me just to come down the road to Prince Philip. I don’t have to ask for a lift to Swansea so I don’t have to rely on anyone. It helps me stay independent,” said Nigel, who has had his voice box removed and now relies on using a surgical voice valve to help him speak.
At his regular appointments to check the valve Nigel sits alongside his speech and language therapist Danna Jones in a consulting room at Prince Philip Hospital. Using the video conferencing equipment, they can access expert advice from specialist speech and language therapist Sali Curtis in Swansea.
The outreach telemedicine head and neck project, funded by Macmillan Cancer Support, sees ABMU Health Board staff working closely with colleagues in neighbouring Hywel Dda to make specialist care more accessible for head and neck cancer patients living in rural West Wales.
Looking on as Nigel had his latest consultation with Sali was Gower AM Rebecca Evans who visited the speech and language therapy department at Morriston Hospital for a first-hand look at how the telemedicine service works.
“I found it absolutely fascinating. I now understand a lot more about the patients and the challenges they face and how this service benefits them,” she said. “Seeing the consultation was really useful and I was so impressed by how at ease Nigel was at using telemedicine.”
Sali said: “The cameras are very high definition so when we are doing a consultation they allow us to zoom in to see inside the windpipe if necessary so we know when Nigel needs to have a valve changed or if there are any problems.”
The outreach project aims to not only improve services for patients by bringing these specialist services closer to their home but also to improve the skills and knowledge of therapists from both health boards as they work together.
Besides Prince Philip, video conferencing clinics are now run at Withybush, Bronglais, and Aberaeron and Cardigan hospitals and there are also regular training sessions using the video links.
Danna added: “Before the project you could feel out on a limb but now this technology has given us access to second opinions and training. It has really helped develop my skills and my confidence.”
Alison Clarke, head of the speech and language therapy service, said: “Innovative service developments such as this, with the access to training and support, are also helping us to recruit and retain excellent staff for ABMU and West Wales.
“We are looking to develop and train up more therapists like Danna. The use of technology to modernise services means we can provide exciting opportunities for the future.’’
Macmillan clinical speech and language therapy lead Lisa Love-Gould added: “Three years ago we couldn’t recruit and now we have built up a team of six. We are seeing a 20 per cent increase year on year in head and neck cancer so it is a vital service.”
But even though he says telemedicine has helped him manage his condition, Nigel admits there is one drawback of consultations happening via a monitor.
“You can’t give the girls a cwtch to say thanks at the end of it,” he joked.