Holistic Integrated Care in Ovarian Cancer (HICO) - Reducing inequalities due to age, frailty, poor physical and mental health.
Lead by Mr Jonathan Frost and Miss Claire Newton.
The background
Ovarian cancer predominantly affects older women, with around half of all new diagnoses occurring in those aged 65 and over. It has repeatedly been demonstrated that older patients with ovarian cancer receive less intensive treatment, a key factor in the disproportionately poorer survival outcomes in older women with ovarian cancer in the UK and internationally. Older patients are more likely to have medical and functional comorbidities that can lead to relative under-treatment.
The plan
This pilot will implement a programme of holistic interventions to reduce inequalities due to age, frailty, poor physical and mental health across Bath and Bristol.
All patients in the programme will undergo a holistic assessment followed by support from physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, geriatricians, nurse specialists and psychologists, as required, to improve functional independence and quality of life during and following on from treatment.
As well as improving quality of life, this pilot project aims to reduce the number of older patients unable to access treatments due to age, frailty, physical and psychosocial problems. This will help to narrow the survival gap between our oldest patients and their younger counterparts.