I request feedback on how the QE, manages cancer patients whom have poor vein access because of multi-lines of chemotherapy. Does the QE have acute oncology nurses on 24 hour call whom can access these portacauths in the event of an emergency admission?

Patients who have poor venous access within Oncology are normally offered a PICC line as the primary option for a central venous access device. Portacaths are used in a proportion of our patients; however their use is not as widespread as the PICC lines.

The trust does provide an acute oncology service, which is manned 24 hours per day by nurses who are able to access a portacath device.