‘PAMPER’ user involvement group marks major milestone

‘PAMPER’ user involvement group

A patient and carer user involvement group set up to help transform the way cancer care and support is delivered across the local area has marked a major milestone.

The PAMPER (Pennine Acute Macmillan Patient Engagement Representatives) group launched in 2015 to help improve cancer services to meet the needs of patients.

Macmillan Cancer Support and The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust came together to launch the Living With and Beyond Cancer Programme, a two-year project to address the cancer care challenges faced by patients and their carers.

A key part of the project, which is funded by Macmillan, was to involve service users and their carers to learn from their experiences and give them a 'meaningful' voice to help influence the overall direction and quality of local cancer services.

The group, which featured on BBC Breakfast TV in a feature on cancer last year, has contributed more than 100 voluntary hours, completed questionnaires and surveys, attended meetings and health and wellbeing events, and taken part in audits. Together they have completed what the group set out to achieve and are supporting the Trust in making improvements to cancer care delivery.

Debbie Ashforth, Macmillan Transformation Programme Lead, said: “The PAMPER group is a special group of extremely dedicated and passionate people of all ages, backgrounds and cancer experiences. They have provided invaluable input and insights, from their own personal cancer journeys, and it has been a privilege to work with them.”

Ms Ashworth, along with Emily Sidebottom, Macmillan User Involvement Coordinator, said they wish to thank them all for helping to ensure that the patient/carer voice is at the heart of decision making and helps shape cancer services to meet the needs of local patients in the future.

A celebration event, attended by PAMPER members and their families, as well as professionals from the Trust and Macmillan, was held at The Victoria Hotel, Chadderton.

Sir David Dalton, Chief Executive of The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, added: “I would like to sincerely thank you all for your dedication and commitment, which has been integral to the success of the Macmillan Living With and Beyond Cancer Programme at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Your contributions to the transformation of cancer services has been extremely valuable to the Trust and will continue to help us improve our services.”