The morbidity of non-cancer-related lymphoedema is becoming more generally recognized, but current treatment and research remain focused on cancer patients, particularly those with breast cancer. From the commencement of a new lymphoedema service at St Giles Hospice, Lichfield, Staffordshire, in 1994, referral of non-cancer patients was also encouraged. Over a 4-year period, 218 such patients were seen, accounting for 24% of the total cases referred to the clinic. The treatment outcomes of all patients were measured using simple assessment tools devised by the authors. This article presents a retrospective audit of the results achieved with the non-cancer patients. The results confirm that these patients also obtain benefits from treatment, with improvement in many aspects of the quality of their lives. They should therefore continue to be provided with opportunities for treatment.
Information management and technology are at the heart of modern health care. Burton Hospitals NHS Trust have a well-developed Hospital Information Support System (HISS). Clinicians working in rehabilitation services identified the need to find a common language that can be used with HISS. This article describes a study to explore whether Clinical Terms Version 3 (Read Codes) would meet this need.
Two parallel questionnaires were used to explore perceptions of healthcare workers (HCWs) and the relatives of terminally ill patients on the quality of care received by the patients. There was general agreement between the two groups of respondents in most of the assessed areas. The relatives, however were more satisfied with the control of pain and psychological symptoms than the HCWs, and the HCWs perceived the control of diarrhea, skin problems, and swallowing problems more positively than did the relatives. There also was some variation between the two groups in their perception of the care received by the relatives during visits at the hospital, with the relatives' group being more positive. Although HCWs reported that time to deal with patients and their families was inadequate, the relatives' group was generally satisfied with the standards in place.
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