Cancer Services

We provide a wide range of cancer services for anyone who needs our care at any stage of their condition in Somerset.

Diagnosing and treating cancer is complex. People often need the experience and skills of several different medical and health professionals to treat cancer. The healthcare colleagues involved in this care form a multidisciplinary care team. This could include surgeons, physicians, radiologists and pathologists, oncologists, cancer nurse specialists and other healthcare professionals.

They support patients and their families throughout their diagnosis and treatment, living with cancer and beyond with a wide range of care and support services.

We have a team of co-ordinators who track patients with suspected cancer from their referral by GP to their first treatment to ensure that all tests and appointments are done quickly. Each team has a cancer nurse specialist who is available to answer questions, provide support to patients and their families, and liaise with other services and hospitals to ensure that our care is of the highest standard.

We are working towards our cancer strategy to provide timely, quality care for cancer treatment, care and support for our patients. In partnership with other hospitals in the South West, we deliver treatment for patients through surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Working together with St Margaret’s Hospice, we also provide palliative care services.

We provide inpatient, day care and outpatient care for all areas of cancer treatment. When very particular or highly specialised treatments is needed, we can refer our patients to the appropriate specialist hospital with the expertise and equipment needed.

We diagnose and treat a range of cancers including:

• breast cancer
• colorectal cancer
• gynaecological cancer
• haematological cancer
• head and neck cancer
• lung cancer
• skin cancer
• urological cancer
• cancer of unknown primary
• upper gastrointestinal cancer
• non-site specific cancer
• children and teenage cancer
• sarcoma

We strive to get it right for our patients, and regularly review our National Cancer Patient Experience survey results, monitoring our performance against the national targets and look to provide personalised care for you throughout your care journey.

Our Douglas Macmillan Oncology Unit is a purpose-built centre with dedicated professionals to assess and treat patients with either suspected or confirmed cancer. The unit also provides information, support and financial advice as well as complementary services or therapies.

We diagnose and treat a range of cancers including:

• childhood cancer
• gynaecological cancer
• haematological cancer
• head and neck cancer
• upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) cancer
• lung cancer
• sarcoma
• skin cancer
• breast cancer
• urological cancer

For Somerset facing dental practices, who wish to make a suspected cancer referral, please email ereferrals@somersetft.nhs.uk for further information and the Suspected Cancer Proforma.