Clinical Service Excellence Programme (CSEP) recognising outstanding myeloma care with more awards to round off 2024
The Clinical Service Excellence Programme (CSEP) recognises hospitals’ commitment to raising the bar for myeloma treatment and providing compassionate and individualised patient care. Committed to continued improvement and optimising patient care, in 2024, the Myeloma UK CSEP team refreshed and piloted a new version of the CSEP assessment and patient survey. This ensures that CSEP continues to reflect best practice, current guidelines and service improvements that make a difference to patients’ experience of care.
Over the last few months, four new hospitals achieved CSEP accreditation, and one hospital gained reaccreditation, bringing our total number of accredited UK hospitals to 73. Of these 73 hospitals, 24 have also successfully reaccredited.
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and Royal Sussex County Hospital have achieved first-time accreditation, whilst St Helier Hospital demonstrated their ongoing commitment to outstanding myeloma care, achieving reaccreditation.
If you would like to join the ranks of these outstanding myeloma centres – and many more across the UK – please complete a short application form or email the team at CSEP@myeloma.org.uk.
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen
We were delighted to accredit another hospital in Scotland.
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary demonstrated excellence to achieve their award and in addition, the accreditation had significant impact in increasing awareness of myeloma locally and across Scotland, with several articles published in the local press.
MSP Kevin Stewart subsequently requested to meet the Aberdeen team to find out more about myeloma and their work and lodged a motion in parliament congratulating them.
He also highlighted data on late diagnosis of myeloma to the Cabinet Secretary for Health.
Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth
Queen Alexandra Hospital demonstrated their impressive commitment to research and clinical trials, with a portfolio of trials that patients can access locally.
The myeloma team also recognise the importance of peer support, with CNS Catia Simoes helping to lead the well-attended Portsmouth Myeloma Support Group.
The CSEP plaque was awarded at a support group meeting which was a great opportunity for patients to meet all members of the team, including those who work in non-patient-facing roles.
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter
Holistic care is a strong feature of the myeloma service at Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.
Patients undergoing stem cell transplant can take part in a prehabilitation programme which provides an individualised, needs-based programme of exercise, nutrition and psychological interventions.
The team also hold a monthly health and wellbeing support clinic for new patients where nurses give further information about myeloma treatments, guidance on self-management strategies and signpost to sources of support.
Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton
A highlight of the service at Royal Sussex County Hospital is a dedicated clinic for urgent referrals.
This separate clinic ensures the doctors have adequate time to review patients who might have myeloma and arrange further tests promptly.
All three hospitals that manage myeloma in University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust are now CSEP-accredited, helping to benchmark myeloma care across the county.
St Helier Hospital, London
Since their 2020 accreditation, St Helier Hospital have demonstrated their ongoing commitment to excellence and impressed us at this reaccreditation by securing funding for a second permanent haemato-oncology pharmacist.
This pharmacist is a non-medical prescriber who reviews and prescribes treatment for myeloma patients, including those on lenalidomide maintenance.
The addition of this role has significantly helped to reduce capacity pressures and waiting time in the outpatient clinic.
Patients with renal complications also continue to benefit from close collaborative working with the renal team which includes a parallel clinic with haematology.
Read more about the collaboration in this shared practice article.
About CSEP
Established in 2015, the Clinical Service Excellence Programme (CSEP) supports hospitals in delivering patient-focused myeloma treatment and care, benchmarked against best practice standards. CSEP enables hospitals to recognise and celebrate their achievements, identify key areas for development, and share best practice initiatives.
To find out more about CSEP, discover how your hospital can get involved or to view accredited hospitals, please visit the CSEP pages.
