Skin Cancer Service
Issued March 2019
Review March 2021
A-134/Onc/Skin/RD/Information for Patients v4
PDF: Skin Cancer Service April 2016 v3.pdf [pdf] 255KB
Introduction
This set of information leaflets is designed to provide you and your family with information about skin cancer and its treatment.
At each stage of your treatment the relevant information will be added to your set.
There are blank pages included for you to write down any questions you have. Any member of the skin cancer team will be happy to answer them for you either at your clinic appointment or over the telephone.
There is a space for any member of the skin cancer team to write down comments or changes to your treatment so you have an up to date record of your planned care.
We would appreciate any comments you have regarding this information and how beneficial it has been for you.
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank MARCS Line and the Wessex Cancer Trust for reference materials used in the creation of this document.
The Skin Cancer Team at Derriford Hospital
The Plymouth Skin Cancer Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) has a large team of specialists dedicated to providing first class care to patients with skin cancer. The team includes:
Consultant Dermatologist Secretary number
Dr Toby Chave 01752 437026
Dr Urszula Brudnik (Locum Consultant) 01752 437026
Dr Cairine Wilkinson 01752 437109
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Consultant Plastic Surgeon Mr Duncan Mackenzie |
01752 431518 |
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Mr Anthony Fitton |
01752 431515 |
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Mr David Camp |
01752 431515 |
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Mr Lachlan Currie |
01752 431517 |
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Lt Col Chris Taylor |
01752 431519 |
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Mr Jacob Manushakian |
01752 431517 |
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Surgeon Commander Rory Rickard RN |
01752 431519 |
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Consultant Oncologist Dr Geoff Cogill Dr Martin Highley |
01752 432335 01752 431096 |
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Skin Cancer Nurse Specialist Nicola Jones
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01752 439800 |
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Jill Daniels |
01752 431631 |
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Consultant Histopathologist Dr Dean Harmse |
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Consultant Radiologist Dr P Suresh |
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Biopsy Nurses Sister Diana Morgan, Sister Caroline Williams
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The Team meet weekly, every Tuesday afternoon, to agree individual treatment plans. Following the meeting, you will be seen in the clinic by your Consultant where your treatment plan will be discussed with you and your family. A copy of the treatment plan will be sent to your GP.
Skin Cancer Nursing Service
Nicola Jones and Jill Daniels are our Skin Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists. They are part of the multi-disciplinary team working towards improving the quality of care for people with skin cancer.
As Nurse Specialists, they are available to
- help co-ordinate your care from diagnosis to treatment and through to follow up care
- be a familiar face who can provide support for you and your family
- provide information on tests, investigations and treatment options
- offer support and advice on symptom control
- provide a link to other professionals and support services
They can be contacted Monday – Friday
9am – 5pm 01752 439800 / 431631
Your Treatment Plan
If you would like written details of your management plan please contact Nicola Jones on 01752 439800 or Jill Daniels on 01752 431631.
Your Key Worker
You will be offered a named Key Worker who will be responsible for
co-ordinating your care. The whole team can be contacted via your key worker. To find out who your key worker is or for any other information about your care, please contact Nicola Jones on 01752 439800 or Jill Daniels on 01752 431631.
Contact Details
Some contacts that you may find useful:
Macmillan Cancer Support: contact cancer nurses for support and information, produce an extensive range of booklets and fact sheets on all aspects of cancer, available free to patients.
Telephone 0808 808 0000 or www.macmillan.org.uk
Macmillan Cancer Support Fund: is a UK-wide charity which supports people living with cancer. Macmillan Cancer Support will provide grants for people with cancer in
financial need. Your skin cancer specialist nurse can apply for grants to the fund on your behalf.
Marcs Line: a resource centre for melanoma and related conditions and has a help line.
Telephone 01722 415071 or marcsline@wessexcancer.org or www.wessexcancer.org
Cancer Research UK: a national information service for all types of cancer.
Telephone 0808 800 4040 or www.cancerhelp.org.uk and www.sunsmart.org.uk
NHS Choices:
Southwest Public Health Observatory:
The Mustard Tree Macmillan Centre:
Offer people affected by cancer access to good quality, comprehensive and appropriate information and support. The Centre is based on Level 3, Derriford Hospital.
Opening times are Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays). Drop in or telephone on 01752 763672.
The Living With and Beyond Cancer Team:
at The Mustard Tree Macmillan Centre
Monday – Friday 01752 431468
The Triangle Centres:
For cancer support and information for patients, their families and carers. The Centres, staffed by professionals and trained volunteers, provide a friendly and welcoming environment where you can share your concerns, ask questions and receive support and information.
Devonport, Cumberland Centre Mondays 1.45pm - 5.50pm Telephone 08451558002
Kingsbridge, South Hams Hospital Tuesday 9.30am - 4.40pm Telephone 01548 852349
Liskeard, Liskeard Community Hospital Thursday 9.30am - 4.30pm
Telephone 01579 335600 Ext. 5628
Tavistock, Tavistock Clinic Fridays 9.15am - 4.15pm Telephone 01822 615935
Help with Finance
Help with travel costs for patients
Patients in receipt of the following can claim for help with travel expenses:
- Pension credit (guaranteed credit)
- Income support
- Income based job seekers allowance
- Working tax credit in certain cases
- Child tax credit in certain cases
- Patients on a low income who have been issued with a HC2 or HC3 form
- Patients who are on a low income but are unable to produce the above should complete a HC1 or HC5 form and send it to the health benefits division in the envelope provided with the form
- War pensions (claim direct from War Office)
- Asylum Seekers
Help with travel costs for carers
Carers can claim back travel cost from the DWP social fund if the patient is in receipt of:
- Pension credit
- Income support
- Income based job seeker allowance
Other Funding for travel costs
You may be eligible for assistance via other charitable funding such as Macmillan grants or local cancer charities. You can speak to our benefits advisor to check your entitlement.
Help with Finance
Full time benefits advisor
We appreciate that during times of prolonged treatment a person’s financial position can alter radically. If you are not sure whether you are entitled to a benefit, or need help and advice, why not make a confidential appointment with our benefits advisor who is now full time within the Mustard Tree Cancer Support Centre. She can help with:
- Prescription charges
- Work and cancer
- General benefits for those who are sick or are caring
- Travel costs for patients and their carers
- Macmillan Grants
- Plymouth and Cornwall Cancer Fund
- Patient Voluntary Welfare Fund
Please ring the Mustard Tree Macmillan Centre (01752) 763672 to arrange an appointment.
How do I find out more information?
Advice and useful links can also be obtained from www.be.macmillan.org.uk or from the Macmillan helpline on freefone 0808 808 0000
Car Parking and Transport
Public Transport
Derriford Hospital is well served by buses from Plymouth and the surrounding area. For information on timetables and fares contact:
Park and Ride
Derriford is served well by public transport, hosting the second busiest bus terminal in Plymouth with 44 buses per hour calling at peak times.
In addition, there is a public park and ride site located north of the hospital at the George junction (opposite the George Pub/Hotel). This is ideal for patients and visitors travelling from the north of the city to Derriford Hospital. It is open from 6.30am to 6.30pm and parking is free, although you will need to buy a ticket to travel on the bus (currently £1.90).
Catch the First Bus no.7 service from the park and ride, which stops directly outside the main entrance to the hospital.
The no.7 service leaves the park and ride every 30 minutes at 24 minutes and 44 minutes past the hour.
Walking and Cycling
Walking or cycling to the hospital may be an option for you or visitors. Cycle parking is located by the main entrance. For a Plymouth cycle map contact Plymouth City Council on 304316 or pick one up from the hospital foyer.
Taxis
You can phone Taxifast free from the Derriford Hospital foyer on 01752 222222. There are several other taxi providers, some of which are wheelchair accessible meaning patients can remain in their wheelchairs without transferring and drivers will convey patients direct to their appointments
Drop-off bays
Drop-off and collection bays are available around the hospital entrances
Transport Access for Patients (TAP)
Priority is given to vulnerable people in isolated and rural areas. You may qualify for TAP if you:
- Do not have or are unable for medical reasons to travel in your own transport
- Cannot be driven to your healthcare appointment with friends, neighbours or relatives
- Are medically unable to use public transport, or this is not practical due to your isolated/rural address AND without transport you will be unable to keep your hospital appointment.
Please telephone TAP
(Transport Access for Patients) On: 08450 539100
Car parking charges
From April 2012 most of the Hospitals car parks will be pay on foot. This means patients and visitors will collect a token on the way into the car park and pay before they exit the car park. The pay machines will accept payment by cash and give change, payment by credit/debit card and payment by mobile phone. These machines are located throughout the car parks and in the Main Entrance. A small number of pay and display car parks are also available.
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15m–2hr |
£2.20 |
4-6 hrs |
£6.60 |
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2-3 hrs |
£3.30 |
6-24 hrs |
£8.00 |
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3-4 hrs |
£4.40 |
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There is a change machine at the main entrance on level 6.
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). Only buy daily parking tickets until the patient is definitely admitted.
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 National End of Life Programme. The ward will ring the parking office.
- Relatives attending the bereavement office to collect death certificates.
Unexpected Stays
If a patient’s stay is unexpectedly extended either due to clinics running late or unexpected admission to hospital, then please ask the ward/department to contact the parking office on 53949 giving the patients car details and which car park they are parked in.
Hospital Car Service
If you are not fit enough to come to hospital by private car or public transport, contact your GP. You may be eligible to use the Hospital Car Service. There will be a charge for this, which will be collected from you by the driver but you may be able to get this reimbursed if you are on benefits.
Travel expenses
Refunds for travel expenses and car parking can be claimed for patients who receive:
- Income Support or ESA (income based, not contribution based)
- Pension Credit – guaranteed credit, not savings credit
- Job Seekers Allowance – income based only
- Low Income Certificate HC2 or HC3
A valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate (this will automatically be awarded if you are in receipt of working tax credit or child tax credit and your income is below the threshold laid out by HMRC).
If you are on benefits please go to the cashier’s office on level 7, Derriford Hospital. You will be asked to show proof that you are in receipt of the appropriate benefit as detailed above.
The regulations stipulate that travel costs should be calculated based on the cheapest form of travel appropriate to the patient. If you are traveling by bus or train or through the Tamar Bridge, the Cashier’s Office will need to view the ticket or toll ticket. Currently the Trust reimburses 15 pence per mile if you are traveling by car. Provider units should therefore check that the cost of the patient's travel are reasonable, taking into account that patient's personal circumstances.
The "reasonable" test
This should be based on the assumption that the patient should be able to reach their healthcare establishment in a reasonable time and without detriment to their condition. When assessing a patient's claim, provider units should take into account issues such as:
- The distance that the patient has to travel
- How long the journey has taken to complete
- Whether the patient has to make this journey frequently
- The availability, suitability and accessibility of public transport
- The medical condition of the patient
- The age of the patient
You will be asked to show proof that you receive the relevant income and will then be reimbursed the cost of the cheapest appropriate method of travelling to the hospital.
The cashier’s office opening times:
- 09.30 – 16.30 Monday – Thursday
- 09.30 – 16.00 Friday
If you are unable to attend the cashier’s office at this time, then a HC5 form will be available from outside the office. This can be filled in and returned to the appropriate office (Jobcentre, Pensions Office) and they will verify the eligibility of the claim and return this to the Trust to make a payment by cheque.
Alternatively the Cashier’s Department can pay claims retrospectively up to 3 months in the past. However the eligibility for travel refunds must cover this period.
Please note: DWP, Department for Work and Pensions, sets the rules on who can claim.
Help with travel costs for carers
NHS Transport is not routinely provided for carers.
However carers can claim back travel costs from the DWP social fund if the patient is in receipt of:
- Pension credit
- Income support
- Income based job seeker allowance
Other funding for travel costs
If none of the above applies, you may still be eligible for assistance via other sources of charitable funding, such as Macmillan grants or local cancer charities. You can speak to our benefits advisor to check your entitlement.
See the next page for contact details of our benefits advisor. If you need further support please contact your local CNS who will be able to provide information regarding any local arrangements with funding for accommodation and transport.
