Health services

Description

Oncology patients receiving systemic anti-cancer treatment require specialist assessment and advice, and early recognition of potential clinical emergencies and side effects of treatment. Therefore the provision of an out of hours oncology telephone helpline is essential to clinically triage patients using the UKONS validated clinical telephone triage tool. Experienced and qualified health professionals are required to manage the helpline as clinical knowledge is essential to signpost and manage calls appropriately i.e. patients with significant symptoms that need to be treated within very tight timescales e.g. neutropenic sepsis with a target of the patient receiving intravenous antibiotics within one hour of attending hospital. The assessment and advice given to a potentially ill patient is crucial in providing the best possible outcome. The out of hours helpline covers four acute hospital Trusts within the Lancashire and South Cumbria cancer network: — Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, — Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, — East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, — University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust. Operational hours are as follows: Site weekday weekend Royal Preston Hospital 4:30 p.m. – 8:30 a.m. Fri 4:30 p.m. – Mon 8:30 a.m. Blackpool Victoria Hospital 4:30 p.m. – 8:30 a.m. Fri 4:30 p.m. – Mon 8:30 a.m. Royal Lancaster Infirmary 4:30 p.m.– 8:30 a.m. Fri 4:30 p.m. – Mon 8:30 a.m. Furness General Hospital 4:30 .p.m – 8:30 a.m. Fri 4:30 p.m. – Mon 8:30 a.m. Burnley General Hospital 4:30 p.m. – 8:30 a.m. Fri 4:30 p.m. – Mon 8:30 a.m. Royal Blackburn Hospital 4:30 p.m. – 8:30 a.m. Fri 4:30 p.m. – Mon 8:30 a.m. Please note this service will also include all bank holidays. The supplier will be responsible for ensuring continuity of service provision and all additional costs in respect of ensuring that all the levels of staff support are met e.g. sickness, staff termination and holiday periods The out of hours helpline usually receives approximately 300-360 calls per calendar month across the network. A minimum response time of 20 minutes will be included as part of the service to ensure an appropriate level of service is delivered. Can all suitably qualified companies please express their interest on the proactis website.