Your Nurse-led Telephone Clinic - Acute Leukaemia

Who is the leaflet for?

This leaflet is for patients diagnosed with Acute Leukaemia who are eligible for the nurse-led telephone clinic.

What is the nurse-led telephone clinic?

We are inviting some haematology patients to be reviewed by telephone for some of their consultations, in place of attending the clinic in the Department of Haematology and Oncology Outpatients.

If you join this clinic, you will be telephoned by a clinical nurse specialist at a dedicated time slot on a certain day. You will need to have your blood tests taken a few days before your appointment and will then discuss the results with the nurse during the telephone clinic appointment. It is important that you speak freely and openly about any symptoms or concerns that you have.

You may also receive an invite to complete an Electronic Holistic Needs Assessment (EHNA) by the Haematology navigator ahead of your appointment. This is a short questionnaire that helps us to understand what’s important to you at this stage in your pathway and help you find the right support.

Why am I being invited?

You have been invited because you are in follow up for your Acute Leukaemia. This has been designed to be more convenient for you, saving time and travel costs.

Is it safe?

The clinic will be staffed by experienced haematology nurses. The nurses work closely with the medical team who oversee your care and will discuss any questions or concerns with them.

How will the telephone clinic system work?

You will have an appointment time for a Wednesday morning arranged either via your last clinic or sent to you in the post. We would like you to have your blood tests taken in the week prior to this appointment. Your blood tests can be taken at your GP surgery, at your local hospital, at the Addenbrookes drive through, or in the Addenbrookes Department of Haematology and Oncology Outpatients Centre blood room. At your scheduled appointment time the clinical nurse specialist will telephone you and discuss any symptoms, medical problems, medications and side effects and your blood results with you.

Whilst the clinical nurse specialist will endeavour to ensure that you are telephoned at the specified time, you may experience a small delay if the previous patient had multiple or complex issues to discuss.

You will be informed when your next appointment will be. This will be a consultant review and the appointment will be sent to you.

How will I receive my blood forms?

After each consultant clinic visit you will receive your blood forms for your telephone clinic consultation. After each telephone clinic consultation, you will receive a copy of the letter that the clinical nurse specialist sends to your GP, your care plan if an EHNA has been discussed and blood forms for next consultant visit, if you require them.

Will I still be under the care of my consultant?

You will remain under the care of your consultant throughout. You will come to the outpatient clinic on alternate visits to be reviewed by a consultant or specialist registrar. If you need to see the medical team at any other time will arrange for you to come to the outpatient clinic.

What if I wish to leave the telephone clinic?

The choice is entirely yours. You can return to follow up in the outpatient clinic at any time.

What information should I give the hospital?

We need to know what telephone number to contact you on. It is very important that you are available at the dedicated time to answer the call from the clinical nurse specialist. We also need to know your e-mail address if you are completing an EHNA assessment. It would be helpful to know if you will have your blood tests taken at a different hospital, or if your GP surgery will send your blood tests to a different hospital. If you would like additional information about measures to confirm your identity and confidentiality during phone calls, please ask your clinical nurse specialist.

What if no one rings me?

If you have not received your scheduled phone call within 30 minutes of the time expected, please call 01223 216551. This is the Department of Haematology and Oncology Centre Reception who will be able to contact the team for you.

Contacts/ Further Information

If you wish to discuss your care, please contact your clinical nurse specialist on 01223 596279.