All posts by Karen Weir
Cancer Team Newsletter March 2023
Pathfields Cancer Team Newsletter – March 2023
Hello and welcome to the March edition of the Cancer Care Newsletter from Pathfields Cancer Team. Please spare a few minutes to skim this email, you might find something of interest that could act as a reminder or a change in practice to help identify a Cancer.
And why not take this opportunity to click the link and spend a minute reminding yourself of the relevant 2ww pathway, especially if it is one we don’t regularly use.
This Month we are bringing awareness to:
Ovarian Cancer, Brain Tumour and Prostate Cancer
Ovarian Cancer
Do you know that 90% of women don’t know the four main symptoms of ovarian cancer? Knowing this information could be lifesaving, as an early diagnosis can make all the difference.
Ovarian Cancer has four main symptoms:
· Persistent stomach pain
· Persistent bloating
· Difficulty eating / feeling full more quickly
· Needing to wee more frequently
For more information regarding Ovarian Cancer please visit
Reminder:
• New diagnosis IBS/Diverticulitis + aged over 50, NICE recommends clinicians consider measuring CA125 (especially if a woman reports persistent changes in bowel habit, and/or reports persistent symptoms of abdominal distension, increased urinary frequency, and/or early satiety)
Brain Tumour Awareness:
Reminder:
• You can use the CNS pathway on ICE to make direct referrals for brain imaging in patients with new concerning symptoms
• Consider past history of cancer in patients presenting with new neurological symptoms and where appropriate consider urgent referral
Prostate Cancer Awareness:
Facts
• Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men.
• More than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year on average – that’s 143 men every day.
• Every 45 minutes one man dies from prostate cancer – that’s more than 12,000 men every year.
• 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
• Around 475,000 men are living with and after prostate cancer.
What can you do? Have open conversations with the men in your life – direct them to the Risk Checker at Check your risk in 30 seconds | Prostate Cancer UK
Reminders:
• When checking PSA to alsoinclude a renal function test. (Urology are triaging straight to MRI and eGFR within last 3m is required)
• The PSA test should be postponed for at least 1 month after treatment of a UTI
• Be mindful Alpha blockers and drugs such as Finasteride in some cases can reduce PSA levels by up to 50%, so you may have a lower threshold for referral in someone with changing symptoms
Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. We look forward to connecting with you again in April.
Daniel, Karen and Jay – Pathfields Cancer Care Team
Cancer Team Newsletter – April 2023
Pathfields Cancer Team Newsletter – April 2023
Hello and welcome to the April edition of the Cancer Care Newsletter from Pathfields Cancer Team.
Please can we ask you to spare a few minutes to skim this email. You might find something of interest that could act as a reminder or a change in practice to help identify a Cancer.
And why not take this opportunity to click the link and spend a minute reminding yourself of the relevant 2ww pathway, especially if it is one we don’t regularly use.
This Month we are bringing awareness to:
Bowel Cancer and Testicular
Bowel Cancer Awareness:
Did you know?
• Bowel cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the UK.
• Nearly 43,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK.
• Bowel cancer screening can pick up bowel cancer early, which may mean it’s easier to treat.
• Bowel cancer is cancer that’s found anywhere in the large bowel, which includes the colon and rectum.
Reminder:
• All patients with a positive QFIT should be referred on a 2WW
• All patients with Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) should be referred on 2WW Irrespective of QFIT (Anaemia can reduce accuracy of QFIT)
• QFIT has > 99% negative predictive value for bowel cancer, i.e if a QFIT is negative you are very unlikely to have bowel cancer (with the exception of IDA), so consider if a colorectal 2WW is the right pathway for your patient to be on
• Please try and ensure all patients do a QFIT prior to/alongside a 2WW referral if possible, this helps onwards triage processes
For more information on the value of QFIT and 2WW guidance please see: FIT result interpretation and 2ww
Testicular Cancer Awareness:
The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a lump in a testicle. But there may also be other signs and symptoms:• swelling in a testicle – this is usually painless, but it may sometimes suddenly get bigger and become painful• a dull ache, pain or a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum.If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body, it may cause:• pain in the back or lower abdomen (tummy)• weight loss• a cough• breathlessness• feelings of being unwell• a lump in the neck.
Reminder:
• Testicular cancers tend to be non-painful and should be considered if there is a change in shape of the testis
• If a swelling is clearly separate from Testis on examination, it is unlikely to be a testicular tumour and you should consider an ultrasound first
Thank you once again for supporting us by taking the time to read our newsletter.
Please feel free to share your feedback and any ideas of what you might like to read about in future editions.
Karen – Cancer Support Worker
Dr Korn – Clinical Lead in Cancer Care
Cancer Team Newsletter – May 2023
Pathfields Cancer Team Newsletter – May 2023
Hello and welcome to the May edition of the Cancer Care Newsletter from Pathfields Cancer Team. Please spare a few minutes to skim this email, you might find something of interest that could act as a reminder or a change in practice to help identify a Cancer.
And why not take this opportunity to click the link and spend a minute reminding yourself of the relevant 2ww pathway, especially if it is one we don’t regularly use.
This Month we are bringing awareness to:
Skin Cancer and Bladder Cancer
Skin Cancer:
What can I do to prevent skin cancer?
The best protection is to cover up and be safe in the sun. Wear a hat and long sleeves. It’s important to check your skin regularly for any changes.
How can I be safe in the sun?
- Always use 5* UVA rated sun protection 🌞 Macmillan recommend 5* UVA with at least an SPF 30.
- Drink plenty of water 🥛💦 Cover up with a hat and long sleeves.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat👒to protect your face and neck.
- Wear UV blocking sunglasses😎 to protect your eyes.
- Don’t forget to apply sun cream to those easy to miss places – lips 👄, tops of ears 👂, back of neck, feet 👣 and scalp.
- Limit your time in the sun and stay in the shade ⛱ between 11am and 3pm.
- Do not let your skin go red or burn. 😡
- Protection can rub off when it comes into contact with sand, water 🌊 towels or sweat, so you should reapply every two hours. 🕑
- Do not use a sunbed or sunlamp. If it is important for you to look tanned, use fake tan lotions or sprays. 🌞
Skin- 2ww Referral Criteria
Reminder:
- Make use of the Photo-Derm clinic at Crownhill Surgery on Fridays to review a suspicious lesion where you are uncertain if it is cancer
- If you are highly suspicious a lesion may be cancerous refer immediately via 2ww
- Melanoma: Refer suspicious pigmented lesions with a score of 3 or more:
Major features (scoring 2 points each):
- change in size
- irregular shape
- irregular colour
Minor features (scoring 1 point each):
- largest diameter 7 mm or more
- inflammation
- oozing
- change in sensation
Bladder Cancer Awareness
Around 10,300 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer in the UK every year.
It’s the 11th most common cancer in the UK, and the 8th most common cancer in men.
Urology: 2ww Referral Criteria
Reminder:
- Refer all patients 45 and over with frank haematuria without evidence of UTI or urinary tract stone or anyone with visible haematuria that recurs after treatment of a UTI
- Make sure you follow-up MSU’s in these patients yourself, and where negative refer.
- Refer anyone aged over 60 with non-visible haematuria and: a) Raised white cell count or b) Dysuria not explained by UTI/stone
Thank you as always for taking the time to connect with our newsletter. If you have any questions or feedback, please do get in contact!
Karen – Cancer Support Worker
Dr Korn – Clinical Lead in Cancer Care
Half Day Closure 11th May 2023
PATHFIELDS MEDICAL GROUP WILL BE CLOSED FOR STAFF TRAINING FROM 1PM ON THURSDAY 11TH May 2023 AND WILL RE-OPEN AS NORMAL 8AM FRIDAY 12TH May 2023.
WE APOLOGISE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS MIGHT CAUSE.
FOR ANY MEDICAL HELP, PLEASE CONTINUE TO DIAL OUR NUMBER WHICH WILL BE DIVERTED TO THE PRACTICE PLUS GROUP.
Easter Bank Holiday Closure
PATHFIELDS MEDICAL GROUP WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE EASTER BANK HOLIDAY FROM 6PM ON THURSDAY 6th APRIL AND WILL RE-OPEN AS NORMAL 8AM ON TUESDAY 11th APRIL.
FOR ANY URGENT CARE PLEASE RING NHS 111
Strep A and Scarlet Fever update
As your GP we are keen to support you in managing sore throats and illness this winter. You may have been alarmed by recent national media coverage of Strep A and Scarlet Fever. Please do NOT panic. The current levels of Strep A infection are not significantly higher than many previous years:
We are just seeing a peak of infections in December rather than the Spring as normal.
Strep A is a really common bug. 1 in 5 children carry this bug in their throats as a normal and healthy part of their flora. It is only when Strep A gets into the wrong place and causes sepsis that we have a problem. Importantly there is usually NO benefit in swabbing the throats of people with mild symptoms as 1 in 5 will be positive from Strep A – this is normal! Most sore throats are also best managed without any antibiotics.
Here is advice from the NICE CKS website: “Sore throat due to a viral or bacterial cause is a self-limiting condition. Symptoms resolve within 3 days in 40% of people, and within 1 week in 85% of people, irrespective of whether or not the sore throat is due to a streptococcal infection”.
What we are really keen to emphasise is that sore throat alone is not a problem but sepsis is. Sepsis occurs when bacteria get into the blood stream. People and children with sepsis may
1. Have a fever (over 38 degrees C) but with cold hands and feet
2. Be drowsy, un-rousable or floppy (high risk symptom – seek immediate help!)
3. Be confused or disorientated (high risk symptom – seek immediate help!)
4. Look unwell, mottled or pale
5. May be breathing quickly or working hard to breath (sucking in between their ribs or under their ribs)
6. May not be passing urine as often as normal
7. May have a fast heart rate. In general kids that are unwell will not be playing, running around, smiling or eating normally.
We strongly recommend downloading the excellent HANDi App from the NHS to help you manage your kids illness and to help you known when to seek help. You can download from Google Play or the App Store. You can find out more information about this app from this NHS Devon video: “The HANDi App is so quick and easy to use” – Alex’s story
The risk of serious illness remains very low. Please help us to help you by using the HANDi app to assess your child’s symptoms. We are keen to emphasise that your GP surgery is open and we will see you if needed. However we can only offer this quick access if people are sensible and use tools like the HANDi app first.
If you think you are seriously unwell, whatever your age, please do not delay seeking help.
With best wishes
The Partners of Pathfields Medical Group
Brand New Patient Triage Arrives
We have now gone live with our new online consultation service- Patient Triage. This is a great way for you to contact our practice for non-urgent medical or admin requests.
It is very simple to fill out so please do give it a go if you need to contact us. Although the character count is limited on the form, please try to give as much specific and concise information as possible.
We really think it is easier for most people than waiting on hold to speak to a receptionist but would love to hear your feedback.
If you do not have access to the internet or find it difficult to use a computer or smartphone you can call reception instead.
You can access the new form from our website: https://www.pathfields.co.uk/patient-triage/
Here are some helpful links to guide you through the patient journey.
Patient Participation Meeting
Bank Holiday Prescriptions
