National award for UHSM's Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Centre
"We visited the Macmillan Centre for help and advice, and we really appreciated the warm welcome and support we were given by the team. They do a fantastic job, and they really deserve this accolade - we are delighted that they have been recognised for the wonderful work they do."
Ray and Michelle Clarke
(pictured above)
The Macmillan Information and Support Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital has been awarded the Macmillan Quality Environment Mark. This award, the first of its kind in the UK, recognises and rewards good practice and high standards within the physical environment of a cancer care building.
The award was presented to Brendan Ryan, The Trust’s Executive Medical Director, by Barry Curran, Macmillan Senior Development Manager, at an informal ceremony in the Centre on 8 June.
Yvonne McKenna, Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse for the Trust says: ‘We are delighted to have been given this prestigious award. It is a fitting reward for all the hard work and dedication of the team that designed the centre and the staff and volunteers who work so hard to make the centre a welcoming and supportive environment for patients and their families.’
Barry Curran explains how environments are assessed; “To receive the award environments have to score highly in areas such as use of space, comfort and atmosphere, personal and social interaction and health and well being. Consideration is given to such things as the greeting people receive when they come to a centre, the use of natural light and outdoor space, and the availability of quiet, private rooms – all areas that were highlighted as really important by people living with cancer who helped develop the award. The Centre at Wythenshawe scored highly in each category.”
The Macmillan Quality Environment Mark helps ensure that people affected by cancer are treated and supported in physical environments of uniformly high quality. The scheme is open to any healthcare providers from the public, voluntary or private sectors who operate cancer care buildings and is assess by an independent organisation.