Phil Reynolds, Consultant Therapeutic Radiographer at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust was recently invited to London to chair a national roundtable meeting to discuss innovations in prostate cancer care, at the Houses of Parliament.
Organised and funded by pharmaceutical company Astellas, and sponsored by MP Jim Shannon, the event was entitled ‘Preparing for the Future of Prostate Cancer Care’ and invited delegates from across the country, including urology specialists and charities, to discuss their work in the field of prostate cancer, as well as inviting a patient to share their experience of diagnosis and treatment.
The aims of the round table discussion included sharing examples of service innovation to help address health inequalities in prostate cancer care, better understand the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders and organisations and create consensus around a series of key principles or enablers for change, central to the design and implementation of service innovation.
Phil has been a Consultant Radiographer at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre for six years and has over 18 years’ experience in caring for patients with prostate cancer. He was asked to chair the meeting in his capacity as a member of the prostate cancer special interest group of the EAUN – European Association of Urology Nurses – and as a member of the expert group on a European initiative called ‘Let’s Talk Prostate Cancer’ which is looking at promoting education and awareness around the condition.
Phil said: “Around 1 in 8 men, and 1 in four black men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime – it’s a cancer that has significant implications on our communities and our healthcare system. So it was an honour to be asked to chair this meeting of like-minded professionals, all striving towards the very best in cancer care and innovation, all for the benefit of patients.
“Prostate cancer is a field I’ve dedicated a lot of my career too. I’m passionate about finding out about new innovations and adapting them to fit the different needs of the healthcare settings delivering them.
“The meeting in London was a really valuable discussion and I’d like to thank Astellas for bringing the group together and sponsoring the meeting.”
Klark Mullen, Government Affairs Lead at Astellas added: "During the roundtable, it was a privilege to hear from experts in the field of prostate cancer and the perspectives of those affected by this disease.
"It is inspiring to learn about how the NHS and its workforce are driving a significant amount of innovation in the delivery of prostate cancer services, despite the various challenges. Astellas is dedicated to maintaining its longstanding commitment to collaborating with stakeholders in the field of service innovation and is eager to support follow-up discussions from this latest event at both national and local levels."
