The Association of Occupational Health Nurse Practitioners (UK)
P O Box 11785
Peterhead
AB42 5YG
Tel. 0845 2255 937 Email: admin@aohnp.co.uk

General News

AOHNP Patron develops new Bowel Cancer Guide
Our patron, Lynn Faulds Wood (ex BBC Watchdog presenter who survived advanced bowel cancer) has just been awarded an honorary doctorate for her great campaigning work in helping to save lives from bowel cancer, the second biggest cancer killer in the UK and now the commonest cancer across Europe. Lynn helped to develop the world’s first evidence based symptoms’ advice for bowel cancer, advice officially adopted by the Department of Health, and helped change the way doctors - and nurses – learn to use coloscopy equipment, with the setting up of formal national training courses.

Now Lynn has developed a new way for people with bowel problems to work out whether they might have a serious problem or not – before they go to their GP. “One in five symptomatic people suffers a delay of a year or more before they are diagnosed,” says Lynn, “often because neither they, nor their GPs, don’t know their symptoms might be serious”. There is a “Step by Step Guide to See if Symptoms Could Be Serious”, plus a “traffic light” at-a-glance poster which tells when symptomatic people should be referred to hospital – red symptoms should be referred at any age, amber – it’s safe to wait and watch for a few weeks, green – most people can be reassured they don’t have cancer. She has also produced a video Step by Step Guide to Having a Colonoscopy, all free from her charity, though donations are always welcome!

Contact Lynn’s Bowel Cancer Campaign, 5 St George’s Road, Twickenham TW1 1QS, tel. 020 8891 5937 or info@bowelcancer.tv. Website: www.bowelcancer.tv.
January 2005

Stop Smoking Service - Barnsley
Sarah McDonald, Tobacco Control Lead for Barnsley is trying to contact occupational health nurses who may be interested in working with the Barnsley Stop Smoking and Tobacco Control Team. If you think you may like to help, please contact Sarah by phone on 01226 288540 or email sarah.mcdonald@barnsleypct.nhs.uk.
January 2005