SHARING: Participants at a multi-disciplinary team meeting where patient cases are discussed to ensure wrap around care for patients with cancer.
SHARING: Participants at a multi-disciplinary team meeting where patient cases are discussed to ensure wrap around care for patients with cancer.
A memorandum of understanding has been signed between Hawke's Bay District Health Board and Cancer Society of New Zealand- Hawke's Bay Centre, to link care and support for people with cancer.
Executive director Provider Services Sharon Mason said this agreement was special, and had only been developed in one otherregion in New Zealand.
"With both our agencies linked and a formal agreement reached it means we can share information about patients with cancer so we can provide much better wrap-around care that is individualised to meet patients' needs."
Hawke's Bay Cancer Society Centre manager Trudy Kirk said the agreement signalled a high degree of trust between the two organisations that would only benefit patients.
"The Cancer Society now has a representative who can attend clinical multi-disciplinary team meetings which has meant there is collaboration between both organisations that benefit cancer patients in Hawke's Bay.
"Relevant referral information can be shared, which has enhanced liaison and communication between us all. It's a win-win for not only both our organisations but more importantly for patients with cancer," Ms Kirk said.
Mrs Mason said patient privacy and confidentiality remained paramount, but the agreement meant information about how best to support patients at an extremely vulnerable and emotional time was now formalised and that could only be good news.
