Implementation of a geriatric oncology service at the Royal Marsden Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Despite significant evidence supporting the benefits of comprehensive oncogeriatric assessment in the management of older patients with cancer, the adoption of specialised geriatric oncology programs in the United Kingdom remains limited. Descriptions of clinic structure and models, patient demographics and baseline characteristics, resource utilisation, and predictors of resource utilisation are lacking in this population, which may complicate or impede the planning, resourcing, and development of further services in this subspecialty on a national and regional basis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between November 2021 and April 2023, 244 patients commencing systemic anticancer treatment at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London underwent geriatric screening using the Senior Adult Oncology Programme-3 (SAOP3) screening tool. Baseline clinical factors (sex, age, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric [CIRS-G] score, Katz Index score, Barthel Index score, treatment intent, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status [ECOG-PS]) were assessed as predictors of geriatric impairments and need for multidisciplinary referral and intervention using a negative binomial regression analysis. Referral rates to multidisciplinary teams were assessed against ECOG-PS score using point-biserial correlation, as well as against a historical control using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The median age of participants was 77; 75.8% were female. Breast cancer was the most prevalent diagnosis (61.9%). Most patients (67.6%) were undergoing treatment in the palliative setting. Two hundred eleven (86.5%) patients were identified as having at least one geriatric impairment. Six hundred forty-nine multidisciplinary referrals were made, of which 583 (86.7%) were accepted by the referred patient. Higher ECOG PS was positively associated with geriatric impairments in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, pharmacy, and welfare rights domains, as well as with the overall number of geriatric impairments. DISCUSSION: The Royal Marsden Senior Adult Oncology Programme represents the first geriatric oncology service in a tertiary cancer centre in the United Kingdom. Following implementation of SAOP3 screening, we observed a substantial increase in referrals to all multidisciplinary teams, suggestive of previously underrecognized needs among this population. The need for multidisciplinary intervention was strongly correlated with baseline ECOG-PS score, but not with other measured clinical variables, including comorbidity or functional indices.

A review of specialist palliative care provision and access across London - mapping the capital.

Palliative care provision varies by diagnosis, geography, and setting. The Minimum Data-set provides high-level data on provision, but comprehensive comparative information about specialist palliative care (SPC) provision is lacking. The London Cancer Alliance - now RM Partners' Accountable Cancer Network - palliative care group (West/South London) and PallE8 (North/East London), with Marie Curie, sought to address this gap. The aim was to provide comparative data on SPC provision across London to support commissioners and providers to assess provision, identify gaps, and reduce inequity. A data-collection template was developed through expert consensus. Demographic, diagnostic, and service data was collected, plus models of care, staffing levels, and use of clinical outcome/experience measures. Results were collated by organisation and CCG. Cleaned data was provided back to each organisation for verification before final analyses. RESULTS: All 50 adult SPC providers in London participated, representing hospitals, hospices and community services. •Patients in all 32 CCGs have access to hospice beds, with 322 beds from 15 providers (4 NHS) for a population of 9,323,570 (with 47,583 deaths annually).•SPC in London sees more non-cancer patients than is reported nationally; 79% of hospital advisory, 74% of community, and 88% of hospice in-patient services have higher proportions of non-cancer patients.•Considerable variation in out-of-hours availability of both hospital SPC and community SPC services across London; only 9 of 30 hospital and 17 of 26 community services provide seven-day visiting.•Wide variation in the models of community-based SPC; proportions of community patients attending day services vary from 1 in 4, to 1 in 17, just 13 CCGs have H@H-type provision, with few Rapid Response or Care Coordination services. CONCLUSIONS: This detailed survey demonstrates important gaps in availability and provision of SPC services. Recommendations are made for commissioners and providers to join together to address these. It also gives a comprehensive view of rapidly changing models of community-based care, to inform innovation and service development.