Innovative project to restore BAME patients' dignity
Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust has joined forces with a city hair salon to provide wigs for cancer patients from a minority ethnic background.
The project came about after patients told NUH’s BAME Shared Governance group about the indignity of leaving hospital in a blue wig after chemotherapy. Others reported the impact on their mental health and self-esteem after being given pink or green wigs.
Their experiences echoed the findings of the Annual National Cancer Patient Experience survey, which found that patients from a minority ethnic background were not being offered wigs to match their hair or skin colour.
Nottingham Hospitals Charity granted the project £3,200 for a trial, and patients were given a voucher to use towards a wig or scarf. As part of the project, the group:
- engaged with hair salons and specialists to offer patients a choice of wigs
- produced a hair loss information leaflet with targeted advice for people from an ethnic minority background
- produced a factsheet with details of hairdressers, wig providers and support organisations
- delivered awareness training to staff at NUH and in other Trusts
- developed a confidential, electronic patient survey
“This has restored my faith in the NHS,” said one patient. “BAME SG has shown that there are people like us who can champion our voice and affect change. I’m confident that this will improve the care of BAME cancer patients and help restore our dignity.“
And another said: “Thank you for making me look like me.”
A key factor in the project’s success was the multidisciplinary team approach - involving the Trust’s Lead Cancer Nurse, Chief Nurse, Chief People Officer, Head of Equality Diversity and Inclusion, Assistant Director of Nursing (ADN) for Research and the ADN for Education, and Macmillan Cancer Nurses – and Executive buy-in and support from Nottingham Hospitals Charity
The initiative – which was shortlisted in the prestigious Patient Experience Network National Awards - will now be rolled out to all patients with alopecia.