The Myeloma Team at University Hospitals Plymouth are delighted to have been accredited and receive national recognition for the service and its commitment to patients living with incurable blood cancer.

The haematology team was presented with the Myeloma UK Clinical Service Excellence Programme (CSEP) Award in recognition of its outstanding care and dedication to patients with myeloma, an incurable blood cancer which claims the lives of 3,000 people in the UK each year.

Staff were praised for their efforts to improve patients’ quality of life and eagerness to adapt and listen to their needs.

The accolade, awarded by blood cancer charity Myeloma UK, recognises hospitals’ commitment to raising the bar for treatment and providing compassionate care.

Kerry McKay, Senior Sister and Lead Haematology Nurse and Hannah Hunter, Consultant Haematologist, have said: “We’re thrilled to be recognised by Myeloma UK’s Clinical Service Excellence Programme!

“It’s a real testament to the dedication of our team and the patient-first care we strive to deliver every day.

Using the Myeloma Best Practice Standards as our compass, we’re proud to be setting the bar high for myeloma treatment and always looking for ways to go even further for our patients.”

Myeloma UK’s Clinical Service Excellence Programme supports hospitals in delivering optimum, patient-focused myeloma treatment and care.

The programme aims to recognise and share excellence in myeloma care and identify any areas for improvement that better meet the needs of myeloma patients.

The process uses the Myeloma Best Practice Standards as a framework which was developed by Myeloma UK, in consultation with patients, family members and healthcare professionals.

It comprises of ten key themes covering all aspects of myeloma care.

Optimum standards have been devised to reflect the top priorities and needs of myeloma patients.

Monica Morris, Clinical Practice Programme Manager at Myeloma UK, said: “Myeloma is a challenging cancer which keeps coming back and can be really difficult to cope with both physically and mentally, so we were hugely impressed with the hospital’s efforts to ease patients’ burden and make their treatment that little bit easier.

“To see the team going the extra mile day after day to give those affected by myeloma a fighting chance to live well for as long as possible is truly inspiring.”

Myeloma occurs in the bone marrow and currently affects over 33,000 people in the UK. It is especially hard to spot as the symptoms are often vague and dismissed as ageing or other minor conditions.

By the time many patients are diagnosed their cancer has advanced and they require urgent treatment.

This can significantly impact their chances of survival and quality of life.

Around one in two people with myeloma have to wait more than five months before they get the right diagnosis.

These are some of the longest delays out of any cancer in the UK.

While it is incurable, myeloma is treatable in the majority of cases.

Treatment can lead to periods of remission but the cancer will inevitably come back.