Re-defining cancer care with young people: Delivering Ambulatory Care to promote freedom, trust and agency
This resource was developed with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The guide gives a voice to young people and uses research to put the experiences of young at the centre of the delivery of ambulatory care.
This research was funded by NIHR are part of their Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship programme (NIHR-ICA-CDRF-2018-04-034) and was led by Alison Finch, a cancer nurse, as principal investigator. The chief investigator was Professor Rosalind Raine, NIHR Senior Investigator and Director of the NIHR ARC North Thames.
Download the resource here:
What is ambulatory care?
Ambulatory care means that patients can have access to services and types of care where they don’t have to stay in hospital.
It was first piloted in the UK at University College Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) in 2003, and then with teenagers and young adults (TYA) in 2011.
Ambulatory care is typically offered to young people with cancer who are having chemo. It can also be used after chemo for monitoring or other types of supportive care.
This resource talks through the benefits of ambulatory care for young people, so they can maintain a sense of independence and normality through their cancer treatment. It uses patient voices to illustrate this, not just with quotes but photos too.
If you’re a young person with cancer you might find this resource useful for deciding if ambulatory care might work for you. Remember you can always speak to your care team if you have any questions about your diagnosis or treatment plan.
The views expressed in this publication are those of Alison Finch, the author and not necessarily those of the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the NHS or the UK Department of Health and Social Care.