Stanton Territorial Hospital is suspending chemotherapy services.
The announcement was made yesterday by Sue Cullen, Chief Executive Officer of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority.
Cancer Control Alberta was asked to review services delivered at Stanton. The review was to have a focus on improving patient care pathways as they move between the NWT and Alberta health systems to receive cancer care. The review showed a number of areas that required improvement. It was decided that suspension of chemotherapy services was the best option for patient care and service improvements to be made.
According to the NTHSSA, any additional training for staff delivering chemotherapy services is to be improved. They say it will “ensuring that program policies and guidelines align with best practices.”
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The NTHSSA clarifies in their release that the review was not triggered by any by any known incident of patient harm. They add that a plan will be created to undertake a retrospective review which will assist in determining whether the issues that have been identified have had any impact on patient safety, once they can assure all patients are being treated.
Sue Cullen says patient safety is the most important area to focus on for the NTHSAA.
“I would like to thank Cancer Control Alberta for their support in this review and I know that patients will receive quality care in Alberta while we make the required improvements to reinstate our chemotherapy services in the NWT.”
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- REVIEW RECOMMENDED AT STANTON IN WAKE OF WOMAN’S DEATH
All current chemotherapy patients will be sent to Edmonton for treatment at the Cross Cancer Institute (CCI) during the suspension of services, and any new referrals to chemotherapy that are received during this period will also be diverted to CCI.
A plan is being put in place to make sure that services are up and running at Stanton by February.
Cancer patients or their families who are currently receiving services at Stanton can direct questions about their plan of care to the Stanton Cancer Coordinator at 867-669-4310. Anyone with questions or concerns about their care in the past can contact the NTHSSA Quality, Safety and Client Experience division at 867-669-4101.
