Part of our work as a charity is to be as involved as possible with Clinicians and Specialists in our areas of interest.  To help achieve this, our charity Founder and Chair Mimi, works as a lay member on multiple committees and organisations.  It is a key role in improving the services available to the public from a patients perspective. 

Mimi was recently involved in the update of the NICE guideline publication Oesophago-gastric cancer: assessment and management in adults.  In the words of NICE - this guideline covers assessing and managing oesophago-gastric cancer in adults, including radical and palliative treatment and nutritional support. It aims to reduce variation in practice through better organisation of care and support, and improve quality of life and survival by giving advice on the most suitable treatments depending on cancer type, stage and location.

There is an 'Information for the Public Section' which sets out clear sections on what care adults should expect and it highlights the support a patient should expect to receive following this diagnosis.  It talks about the decisions on treatment and care and how these are decided. There is also some information on organisations where you can find help and support, Heartburn Cancer UK are part of that list.

To read the full guidance click here. 

What is a Lay Member?

A lay member is someone who is not a healthcare professional but has experience of using health services. A Lay member could also be a person from a community affected by the committee's topic area. They are appointed to committees to provide an independent view on the work of the committee and to ensure that the views of patients and the public are taken into account.

Lay members can include:

• people who use health and social care services.
• unpaid carers
• advocates, or people who work with a relevant voluntary or support organisation.