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NHS Fife has launched a new service to improve the experiences of patients referred to hospital for cancer investigations or treatment.

The Single Point of Contact Hub (SPOCH) is one of the first of its kind in Scotland, and supports patients referred by their GP for the investigation of potential symptoms of bowel or urological cancers.*

Consisting of appointment co-ordinators and pathway navigators, the SPOCH team will be able to help with a wide range of queries including advice on appointments, tests, and investigations, as well as directing patients to appropriate services for clinical support.

The SPOCH will be available to keep patients informed and supported throughout their journey - from the point of referral to the exclusion or diagnosis of a cancer by providing a dedicated single point-of-contact for any queries.

Patients who have been referred can contact the SPOCH via telephone or email from Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm.

NHS Fife Medical Director, Dr Chris McKenna, said: “Whilst nine in 10 people referred will not be diagnosed with cancer, we know that simply being referred for investigations can be an anxious time and patients may be unsure of what is happening. The SPOCH is designed to help ease their anxieties and keep them informed and supported during this time, as well as providing a central hub for enquiries about their journey.

“In addition to the benefits to the patient’s experience, it will also see our hospital work more closely with our partners in primary, secondary and tertiary care, as well as helping to tackle some of the waiting times challenges we are experiencing.”

For more information, please visit www.nhsfife.org/SPOCH

*Bladder, prostate, kidney, testicular or penile cancers.

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Images:

Caption - Members of NHS Fife's new Single Point of Contact Hub team.

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