The Cancer Centre at Cork University Hospital (CUH) has become the first in Ireland to offer the 'Herceptin in the Home' programme. Eligible patients can now self-administer the vital treatment in the comfort of their own house.
Herceptin is a life-saving drug that is used to fight HER-2 positive breast cancer by stopping the cells from spreading - helping the body destroy these cells. It is a maintenance drug prescribed for people following their cancer surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Patients receive it via injection every three weeks, for life.
The programme is supported by the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), reflecting a shared commitment to advancing innovative, patient-centred models of cancer care.
Helen O’Shea, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Project Lead explained how “this programme gives people freedom to have treatment at home - we teach them how to administer the drug themselves at CUH.
“They have a blood test locally at the GP and once cleared for treatment, it is delivered to them by courier and stored in the fridge. On the appointed day they can inject themselves at any time and go about their lives. It’s ideal for women who are used to this treatment already and we will always follow-up with phone calls to see how they are getting on.”
Jane Shanahan, Director of Nursing, Dunmanway Day Care Centre, CUH, further explained how the drug needs to be administered for life: “We have women who have been travelling in here to CUH every three weeks since 2009, having to wait, get their injection and travel home again. This is a gamechanger for people with a busy life, not having to arrange childcare, time off work or deal with the traffic and parking.”
Sheila Leopold, Integrated Health Area Service Lead, HSE South West, outlined how the programme was “an example of how regional collaboration can support innovation and transformation. We have brought together multidisciplinary expertise to develop a pathway that brings specialist cancer treatment closer to the home, while maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety.
“This demonstrates the value of co-ordinated working across our region, enabling us to deliver more integrated, person-centred care and bring specialist services closer to home.”
Professor Dearbhaile Collins, Clinical Director of Cancer Services, HSE South West, noted how “living with cancer is incredibly tough, and spending hours in a hospital adds a lot of stress. Herceptin in the Home allows these women to live well with cancer. My ambition would be to grow and roll-out this service region-wide across Cork and Kerry - and potentially treat other types of cancer the same way.”
Katie Cooke, Pharmacist, CUH, further explained how “this is about making treatment easier, safer and much more comfortable. It is a first for Ireland; not only is it giving patients their freedom back, but it is also freeing up staff and patient capacity at CUH, so we can care for more patients faster.”