EMCYPICS is a specialist cancer service for children and young people, up to 18 years of age, in the East Midlands. We have a joint Principal Treatment Centre (PTC): Nottingham University Hospitals and University Hospitals of Leicester. Many of the Children and Young People will attend the Nottingham site of the PTC for diagnostic tests and surgery.

Some patients will be able to have some of their care in their local hospital if they live near to Northampton General Hospital, Lincoln Hospital or Pilgrim Hospital, Boston.  There are specialist community based nursing services for children and young people in all areas of the East Midlands, with whom we work routinely to care for patients at home, this is referred to as Shared Care.

The EMCYPICS multi-professional team

The team will call on specialists as required, for example from radiotherapy (clinical oncology), pharmacy, pain management, anaesthesia and specialist children’s nurses responsible for your child’s care in hospital and at home. There are also supporting professionals who play key roles in assessing and helping each child and their family during and after treatment. They include: play leaders, youth workers, social workers, family support workers, dieticians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, hospital school teachers, speech and language therapists, psychiatrists, clinical and neuro-psychologists.  These people meet together with the medical team and contribute to assessment and selection of patients who would best be helped with a particular approach.  Children and young people under the care of EMCYPICS are discussed with members of the multi-professional team on a regular basis.  There is a 24 hour (24/7) daily cover arrangement by specialist paediatric consultants to provide advice to the clinical teams.

Each child/young person has their case discussed at the relevant multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meeting.  The EMCYPICS has a number of MDT meetings including: 

• Solid tumour MDT
• Leukaemia MDT
• Brain and Spine MDT
• Teenager and Young Adult MDT   
• Neuro-rehab                                
• Psychosocial MDT                        

These meetings take place as video conferences involving staff from across the East Midlands.

It is at the MDT that the diagnosis, treatment decisions, planning, progress and any necessary changes in treatment are discussed. We obtain second opinions from national and international medical colleagues at other hospitals where cases are particularly unusual, or directed by the clinical trial.  This system of extensive consultation for planning of treatment and assessment of progress is a national requirement for good clinical practice.  Combined with the trials programme, we believe it offers each patient the best opportunity for their case to be considered in detail, using the most up to date evidence, so that your named consultant is supported in their advice to you.  Be reassured that all treatment decision/changes will be discussed with you.

CYPICS Service

• Once you receive your diagnosis and treatment, your nurse specialist or doctor will provide you with a treatment planner, this will outline what treatment will look like and give you an idea on treatment dates, however, these are subject to change because we rely on your/your child’s blood count being ‘fit for chemotherapy’ before we can administer. This is to ensure your child is physically ready to receive the next course of chemotherapy. Therefore, please be aware treatment date changes and delays are likely to ensure you/your child are fit for treatment.
• You will be provided with the triage mobile number for your local hospital, this is also listed further below. You should call this number if your child is unwell or if you or they are concerned about anything with their health.
• When coming into hospital for chemotherapy as an inpatient, please make sure you contact your local inpatient area, contact details below, at 8am on the day of admission to confirm arrival prior to setting off for the hospital.
• You will receive outpatient clinic appointments which is the opportunity to catch up with your consultant and ask any questions you may have. These appointments are provided with fixed time slots and can’t be moved unless you have an urgent emergency. You will also receive outpatient appointments for scans and other diagnostic tests which also are fixed appointments. If you do have to cancel any of these please call the phone number, available on your clinic appointment letter, at the top of the letter, giving at least 48 hours notice wherever possible. Please also contact your clinical nurse specialist to let them know.
• Please bring all your/your child’s medications with you to all clinic appointment.
• When you are an inpatient you will see a doctor every day, but timing of this can fluctuate, and can often be in the afternoon at the weekend.
• Please arrive on time to all appointments wherever possible.
• Unfortunately due to the nature of changes that happen throughout treatment that we cannot plan for we advise you not to travel abroad on holiday whilst on treatment or for 6 months post treatment
• We cannot supply fit to fly letters
• If you as the main carer is unwell and your child is due in for appointment, please call us as soon as possible, we will support however we can, but there will need to be another responsible adult identified who can attend with your child
• If you/your child are coming into the hospital for a surgical procedure or anaesthetic please ensure an adult with parental responsibility also attends as consent will need to be signed
• For any queries regarding appointments once you have finished treatment please contact the secretary team, available via the telephone number at the top of your appointment letter

Named Consultant and Liaison Nurse Specialist

Each child/young person will be allocated a named consultant who is in charge of their treatment programme. This consultant will be responsible for co-ordinating the team’s work for the patient.  In addition, each family will also be allocated a Liaison Nurse who will be the person who is the main day to day link with the child/young person and their family. The liaison nurse will liaise with all the relevant members of the multi-disciplinary team.  There are arrangements in place for others to cover the absence(s) of both the Consultant and liaison nurse at all times. 

Paediatric Oncology Shared Care Units (POSCU)

Some patients will be able to have some of their care in their local hospital if they live near to Northampton General Hospital, Lincoln Hospital or Pilgrim Hospital, Boston.  There are specialist community based nursing teams in these areas that will also provide care for your child.

Due to the rarity of childhood cancer and the complexity of its treatment, some treatments are only available in certain hospitals. 

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (Lincoln and Boston) provide the following care and support, inpatient supportive care (including febrile neutropenia care), outpatient supportive care (including blood products) and community chemotherapy.

Northampton General Hospital provide the same care as Lincoln and Boston plus, day-care chemotherapy, 24 hour inpatient chemotherapy and intrathecal chemotherapy service.

As part of your child’s treatment they may be cared for in a variety of clinical settings.  Hospitals have different local trust practices and procedures, although the procedure may differ slightly the basic principles are standard in hospitals throughout the UK.

This area contains lots of different areas to help you throughout your treatment that may not have been covered in other areas.

Click the headings beneath Further Advice in the menu to find out more about each area.