Developing a Cancer Centre
John Newman talks to Patrick McGahon, Director of Service and Commercial Development at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust about the development of a cancer centre in Kendal:
When did you first work with Matrix and what was the particular challenge you faced?
The Trust as part of our integrated business plan identified the opportunity to develop a cancer centre in Kendal. The work undertaken nationally by NRAG identified the maximum travel time should be 45 minutes to radiotherapy facilities.
We engaged Matrix in 2008 based upon their experience of developing radiotherapy services business cases including specifically work they had undertaken for the Clatterbridge Oncology Centre.
How did Matrix help you frame that particular challenge you faced?
Helpfully Matrix had previously worked with Clatterbridge in terms of modeling how many Linacs would be required under base assumptions. So they utilized that model and populated it with our information and additional activity information from the North West Regional Team.
What did the solution look like?
The report looked at four options with a sensitivity analysis utilizing different assumptions. The outcome from that was a clear recommendation as to which is the more sensible way forward.
What benefits have you seen?
What will come out is a fairly clear option appraisal and that is going to be the basis of a full business case that we will be developing with our partner Lancashire Teaching Hospitals in the future. It has also been beneficial in terms of informing the commissioners about what the options are and what is a pragmatic and practical way forward.
How have you found working with the matrix team on this project?
The team have been great, in particular Jennie in terms of analysis, she has been very good, very clear and is able to articulate a rather complicated calculation into ‘Layman’s terms’ so that non-experts in the field can understand the issues and proposed solution.
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