Oncology outpatient department
Date: January 2024
Review Date: January 2026
Ref: D-152/oncology/JD/oncology outpatient department information for you and your family v15
PDF: Oncology outpatient department.pdf [pdf] 307KB
Introduction
The aim of this booklet is to provide information about what to do and what to expect when you attend the department for a clinic appointment.
We aim to provide high quality care in an open and friendly environment where you and your family can express your needs. To this end the doctors, nurses and receptionist will always try to answer any questions or concerns that you or your family may have. In addition, this booklet outlines the range of services we currently offer in the Oncology centre.
New entrance to Oncology: opposite Derriford Health and Leisure centre. No entrance to the department through level 2 currently, due to building works.
Transport
If you are fit enough to attend clinic by car but are unable to arrange this yourself, the hospital car service is available to you and can be booked by calling:
The Transport Access Patients Services (TAP) on
0845 539100 for Devon patients
01872 223388 for Cornwall patients
However, it does incur a charge so please phone the above number for cost.
Regular buses run from the George junction park and ride to the main entrance of the hospital should you wish to bring your car but prefer not to use on site parking.
Derriford Hospital is well served by buses from Plymouth and the surrounding areas.
For information on timetables and fares contact:
Plymouth City Bus ((01752) 222221
First(0871 200 2233
Car parking
The site map on the previous page outlines the various car parks at Derriford. They are all subject to payment.
Patient and Visitor Parking
There are a number of car parks for patients and visitors on the Derriford Hospital site. Parking charges apply 24 hours a day.
Pay and display: Some of our car parks are pay and display and require you to purchase a ticket from the machine located in the car park at the time that you park.
Pay on exit: If you use a pay on exit car park you will pay for your parking at the end of your visit. There are machines to pay for your parking in the car parks and also in the main entrance to the hospital on level 6.
The following carparks use Automatic Number Plate Recognition: Car Park A and the Multi-storey car park
|
Length of stay |
Fee |
|---|---|
|
0 – 15 minutes |
Free |
|
15 minutes – 1 hour |
£1.20 |
|
1 – 2 hours> |
£2.40 |
|
2 – 3 hours |
£3.60 |
|
3 – 4 hours |
£4.80 |
|
4 – 5 hours |
£6.00 |
|
5 – 6 hours |
£7.20 |
|
Over 6 hours |
£12.00 |
Important Notice to Patients
There is a period of up to 15 minutes free parking in the marked drop off areas near the main entrances to the Hospital. This is designed for picking up/dropping off only and is not enough time for attending a hospital appointment. If you are attending a hospital appointment, then please use either the pay on foot or pay and display car parks.
Concessionary parking tickets are available for qualifying patients who frequently attend the Hospital for treatment. These are available from the parking helpdesk located in the Main Entrance foyer or contact 01752 763949 (internal x5394).
Free Parking
The following groups are entitled to free parking:
-
All registered disabled patients who hold a disabled badge or drivers who are transporting a patient who hold a disabled badge and who park in marked disabled spaces not in the barrier-controlled car parks. Charges apply in all barrier-controlled car parks.
-
Resident parents of children in hospital or parents whose babies are being cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Please take a letter from the ward to the parking office.
-
Relatives of those patients who are being cared for on the Liverpool End of Life Care Pathway. The ward will ring the parking office.
-
Relatives attending the bereavement office to collect death certificates.
Patients attending the Oncology Department by their own transport are entitled to a reduction in parking charges. Patients should park in Car Park A or the Multi Storey (see Derriford site map)
When you arrive at the Oncology Reception please ask for a QR token currently making the parking free for 6hrs.
Reception/orientation to the Oncology Centre
On arrival at the department, please use the self-check in machine or report to the receptionist and hand in your appointment letter outlining your appointment details. The receptionist will inform you of any tests that are needed before you see the doctor. These could include a routine blood test or x-ray.
After these tests, you will be asked to take a seat in the waiting area until a nurse calls for you. There are refreshments available from the vending machine in the Outpatients Reception area. The Restaurant is situated in the main hospital on Level 7.
You will be seen by a doctor in a private examination room. Sometimes, it may be necessary for you to undress; you may bring a dressing gown with you.
Chemotherapy is based on Level 4 (previously known as FAL ward)
The Radiotherapy treatment areas are situated to the left of the reception desk.
Appointment times
We aim for you to be seen within 30 minutes of your appointment time; however, delays for various reasons can occur. We can only apologise for any inconvenience that you may experience.
If you need to cancel an appointment, it is important that you contact the Secretary/support to your consultant or Oncology Outpatients as soon as possible on the numbers on the next page:
|
Secretaries |
Telephone Numbers |
Consultants |
|---|---|---|
|
Kirsty Thomas |
01752 432338 |
Dr Lim Dr Panwar |
|
Nicole Sharp |
01752 431096 |
Dr Highley |
|
Donna Ould |
01752 432337 |
Dr Roy Dr R Goranova |
|
Dawn McCoy |
01752 432335 |
Dr Dubey Prof H Simonds |
|
Danielle Callaghan |
01752 431097 |
Dr Sherriff Dr B Goranov |
|
Becky Lewis |
01752 433782 |
Dr Parslow |
|
Abby Davies |
01752 430109 |
Dr Mark |
|
Ellie Collicott |
01752 432735 |
Dr Sankey Dr Malaviarachchi |
|
|
Appointments Alterations Please call the Support Secretaries |
|
|
Support sec to: Dr Lim, Dr Sankey, Dr Malaviarachchi, Dr Highley, Dr Panwar |
01752 430148 |
Urgent queries between 2pm and 4pm |
|
Support sec to: Dr Goranova, Dr Roy, Dr Dubey, Prof Simonds |
01752 432336 |
Urgent queries between 2pm and 4pm |
|
Support sec to: Dr Sherriff, Dr Goranov, Dr Parslow, Dr Mark |
01752 430216 |
Urgent queries between 2pm and 4pm |
Although your consultant may be in the clinic, it is possible that you will be seen by a Registrar or Senior House Officer who works with the consultant. All the doctors within the clinic work and liaise with each other, as this is a teaching hospital.
Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialists (Hospital Based)
Within Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust there is a team of specialist nurses who deal with specific sites of cancer. They will provide information about cancer and its treatment, which is specific to your needs. They will also provide emotional support as well as advice and guidance to you and your family about local services available in hospital and closer to home.
These nurses can act as your key worker and main contact during your hospital treatment and on follow up.
If you have not yet met your specialist nurse, and would like to you can call them direct on the numbers listed below.
| Department | Phone number |
|---|---|
|
Gynaecological Cancer Specialist nurses |
01752 437296 |
|
Breast Cancer Specialist Nurses |
01752 431895 |
|
Neuro-oncology Specialist Nurses |
01752 439393 |
|
Heaematology Specialist Nurse |
01752 431244 |
|
Melanoma Specialist Nurse |
01752 439800 |
|
Head and Neck Cancer Specialist Nurse |
01752 439800/430279 |
|
Upper Gastro-Intestinal Cancer Specialist Nurses |
01752 431528 |
|
Lung Cancer Specialist |
01752 432383 |
|
Colorectal Cancer Specialist Nurses |
01752 439473 |
|
Urology Cancer Specialist Nurses |
01752 431524 |
|
Sarcoma |
01752 437296 |
|
HpB |
01752 431527 |
Chemotherapy patients
If you are having chemotherapy you will need a blood test before the doctors can prescribe your treatment.
To help reduce the time you have to wait you can choose one of these options.
-
Have your blood taken at your GP surgery or Future Inn
-
Attend Derriford main Outpatients Department and have your blood taken.
-
For any of these options, you will need to collect a blood form from the clinic nurse, unless it is a PICC or TIVAD where you will need to attend Chemotherapy.
Please note the blood test should not be taken more than two days before your Chemotherapy treatment.
Patients who have Monday morning appointments may have blood taken on the previous Friday.
Clinical Trials Department
Patients who are involved in clinical trials can contact a nurse from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on 01752 431957. If you need to contact someone in an emergency and it is outside of working hours, please contact Brent ward 430043.
Dietitian
There is a Dietitian available to offer advice. If you have concerns about your diet, please speak to the clinic nurse who can refer you.
The Mustard Tree Macmillan Cancer Support Centre
The Mustard Tree Macmillan cancer support centre is available to support people with cancer, as well as their families and carers. Based on Level 3, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, the team are here to support and advise you.
The centre is staffed by professionals and trained volunteers, many of whom have personal experience of cancer. If you would like additional information about your illness or treatment or would value the opportunity to talk to someone about how you feel, or if you just need a break from the usual routine please visit the centre or call 01752 430060. We offer prebooked appointments face to face, via telephone or video call.
As well as offering advice and support, the centre also offers a wide range of services available by appointment, these include:
-
Benefits Advisor
-
Assessment of Psychological needs
-
Complementary Therapies
-
Massage
-
Reflexology
-
Healing
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Relaxation
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Craniosacral Therapy etc
-
-
Headware
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Browns more than hair now (Wig Fitting)
-
Look Good Feel Better (make up)
-
Workshops for separate groups for men and women
MySunrise App is available from the App store or Google play to support your patients cancer journey at UHP.
www.plymouth hospitals.nhs.uk/mustard tree.
The Plymouth Area Cancer Support Network can advise you on local support groups.
Plymouthcancersupport.com
Mobile Telephones
Please note that the use of mobile phones is prohibited on level 2 in the Oncology centre due to the sensitive nature of the radiology machines, but can be used in the main entrance, outside and in hospitals corridors.
Smoking
Derriford Hospital operates a strict smoke free policy.
Smoking is not permitted inside any of the trust’s premises or anywhere in the grounds. Patients, members of the public and staff are not allowed to smoke on trust sites. There is nowhere to smoke on any of the trust sites i.e., no smoking shelters.
Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do for your health. It is never too late. If you have tried before, it is worth trying again. Your stay in hospital is the perfect time to quit. Derriford has 2 stop smoking advisors who visit the wards. The advisor will give you support and can provide free medication to help you quit. If you would like to see the stop smoking advisor, please talk to your ward staff.
Plymouth NHS Stop Smoking Service: 01752 314040
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have a concern, problem or worry about your care or some aspect of the service provided and would like help from someone other than the ward staff, you can contact the PALS office on level 7 or telephone 01752 439884.
Fire
In the event of a fire, please follow the instructions of the staff, do not use the lifts.
Useful organisations
British Association for Counselling
Tel 0870 443 5252
Tel 0808 808 2020
Tel 0207 599 7777
