Developing a home chemotherapy service

Achemotherapy at home service was established to meet the needs of the Walsall community by providing greater flexibility of choice for patients requiring outpatient chemotherapy. The aim was to extend existing services to meet the individual needs of patients with advanced disease who would benefit from palliative chemotherapy treatment but, who may, for physical or social reasons, find it difficult to attend hospital. Multidisciplinary collaboration, a home nursing assessment and a joint care plan with ongoing patient education and support, formed key elements of the home chemotherapy programme. Specific considerations regarding the safe handling of cytotoxic drugs and waste products in the community had to be addressed. The treatment of a sample of five patients in their own homes has been achieved, demonstrating the effectiveness and feasibility of such a service. A patient satisfaction survey and professional audit system are used, in order to measure its progress and assess future development needs.