Choice of treatment centre?
Do I have a choice in where I'm treated?
The short answer...
Yes and no!
The long answer...
All young people who are diagnosed with cancer have the right to
be treated in a principal treatment centre (PTC), like Bristol.
Your doctor can make all the necessary arrangements for this to
happen, no matter in which hospital you are first seen. Yet not all
patients within our region require their treatment to be delivered
in Bristol.
Depending on the type of cancer, you may be able to have
treatment at a local hospital nearer you that links in with a
specialist centre. For some cancer types we have to arrange part of
the treatment at specialist hospitals outside of our area.
If you are aged between 19 and 24 (before 25th birthday) you
should be offered the opportunity to receive treatment at the TYA Unit in Bristol.
Your doctor or specialist nurse will be happy to discuss this with
you and will, wherever possible, offer a visit to the TYA Unit and
to meet the team. An
information booklet is available which you may find
helpful when deciding where you would like to be treated. Please
contact the local TYA Specialist Nurse for further advice on choice
and support available (details below)
- Megan Wilsher - TYA Specialist Nurse, Gloucester and Cheltenham
mob 07833441289
- Jacqueline Hulbert - TYA Specialist Nurse, UHBW, North Bristol
and RUH Bath mob 07827896110 TYASpecialistNurses@uhbw.nhs.uk
- Claire Lewis Norman - TYA Specialist Nurse, UHBW, North Bristol
and RUH Bath mob 07771 996449 TYASpecialistNurses@uhbw.nhs.uk
- Lorraine Beddard - TYA Specialist Nurse, Exeter mob
07717325391
- Nicola Neal - TYA Specialist Nurse, Taunton
mob 07760551214
- Lucy Figg - TYA Specialist Nurse, Plymouth mob 07769282561 plh-tr.tyac@nhs.net
- Hannah Heayn - TYA Specialist Nurse, Cornwall mob
07879486675
Aged 16 or 17?
If you are aged 16 to 18 years old you will most likely be
referred to the TYA unit in Bristol for your treatment and this may
be either under the care of the paediatric or adult cancer team.
Your doctor will explain which of these might be best for you.
You can read more about your options - and complete a checklist
compiled by patients who have already completed their treatment -
on www.nhs.uk/youngcancercare
