King’s cancer centre celebrates top environment award

The Macmillan Information and Support Centre at King’s has been awarded a Macmillan Quality Environment Mark (MQEM) for offering high standards of care for people affected by cancer.

The award scheme was launched in January 2010 by the charity Macmillan Cancer Support, and is the first in the UK that specifically assesses how well buildings – and the way they are designed – provide for chemotherapy and palliative care, as well as people affected by cancer.

The centre provides a relaxed, welcoming environment where patients and relatives can come and talk confidentially about their cancer experience, get help with how to live with their diagnosis and advice about how to move forward when their treatment has finished.

Chiara De Biase, Information and Support Centre Manager, said: “We are thrilled to receive this prestigious award. We couldn’t have done it without the help of the staff and volunteers who work on a daily basis. The work everyone does at the centre at King’s is phenomenal and goes a long way to helping us maintain high standards of care for people affected by cancer in South East London”.

Donal Gallagher, Macmillan Development Manager for South East London, said: “This award reflects the hard work and dedication of the team that designed the centre and all the staff and volunteers who work to make it a welcoming and supportive environment for patients and their families.

“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 Macmillan Information and Support Centre was officially opened in 2010 by Cllr Dr. Neeraj Patil and has since offered support to nearly 3000 visitors. The centre offers a drop-in service and hosts a number of support groups for local people living with cancer.

To get some advice or find out what services are offered by the Macmillan Information and Support Centre at King’s, call them on 020 3299 5229.

Pictured (from left to right) Donal Gallagher, Macmillan Development Manager for South East London; Tim Smart, Chief Executive of King’s College Hospital; Anne Duffy, Head of Nursing for Cancer & Palliative Care; Chiara De Biase, Macmillan Information and Support Centre Manager; Professor Irene Higginson, Director of the Cicely Saunders Institute.