Claire Stephens (Trainee Advanced Nurse Practitioner) has reached the finals for the National Colorectal Cancer Nurses Network,
The prestigious Gary Logue Awards.
Nominated for the Bowel Cancer UK award by our colleague and lead cancer nurse Anne Tomlinson, it is in recognition of the work that Claire has done in developing and coordinating a revised pathway at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.
This personalised stratified follow up of colorectal cancer patients has also been rolled out by Claire for the Lancashire & South Cumbria Cancer Alliance
Claire has worked as a colorectal cancer CNS at LTH since march 2018. During this time she always showed professionalism, compassion and integrity to both staff and patients.
Implementing the personalised stratified follow up in colorectal cancer was no easy task
It involved gaining engagement from consultants, managers, nurses and patients as well as recruiting and training a cancer support worker to coordinate the new pathway.
Claire’s knowledge and skills as a colorectal clinical nurse specialist were both Instrumental in the successful implementation of the self-managed follow up process.
Streamlining the colorectal assessment service is fundamental to the delivery of the 28 day rapid diagnostic standard for our colorectal patients with a suspicion of cancer using patient experience to shape the service.
These patients now have a point of contact and Claire is able to respond to patient clinical queries outside of the clinic, supporting them through their journey to achieving a diagnosis for their symptoms.
Developing relationships with diagnostics and gastroenterology has been key to develop our skill set to review results, give advice to GP’s and make appropriate onward referral.
Good luck, Claire!
You can read more about the Awards here: The Gary Logue Colorectal Cancer Nurse Awards | Bowel Cancer UK
