At Three Shires Hospital, our Macmillan accredited Oncology Department in Northampton provides you with fast access to treatment in a comfortable and friendly setting.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer or are currently seeking treatment - you'll know it can be a daunting time. You may have a number of questions and concerns about your treatment and the overall diagnosis you have been given, but there is no need to feel anxious or worried as our specialist Oncology nurses have over 30 years of experience between them, with a wealth of knowledge - you're in the best possible hands!
At the Three Shires Hospital, we want to ease your worries and provide and support you every step of the way - your journey is very important to us and we ensure you receive the highest of care possible from our specialist nurses to our experienced consultants who will be with you every step of the way.
Our expert team at Three Shires Hospital in Northampton see patients from Guilsborough, Wooton, Duston, Brackley, Towcester and Wellingborough. People also visit us from Brixworth, Grange Park, Long Buckby and Moulton. If you’re looking for a private hospital near you, our team is ready and waiting. We welcome people who live or work locally as well as those who want to travel from further afield to benefit from our talented consultants and compassionate care teams.
We know seeking any kind of treatment can be unsettling and that's why we encourage all our patients to bring family members along with them, to help encourage and self-reflect at one of the most difficult times of their life. You'll be supported in a friendly and quiet environment, of which our department has constantly won the MQEW award, and this is reflected in the relaxing, peaceful and friendly environment the patients attend for treatment.
At Three Shires Hospital, our Oncology Department treats a wide range of cancers including:
If you've got symptoms, your GP can refer you to the necessary consultant here at the Three Shires Hospital. Depending on your diagnosis, you could potentially start treatment within a week.
We promote a 24-hour on-call service when you are between treatments, ensuring that expert care is just one call away. This isn’t just for emergencies; many of our patients call this service when they need advice or are anxious and need to hear a friendly voice. No matter what - our nurses are on call to assist you, whenever you need it!
Our nurses also provide additional emotional support to our patients with monthly coffee mornings where patients are able to spend time with other patients and feel confident to share their feelings and concerns in an open and understanding environment.
We provide a safe and streamlined service through the use of:
Perhaps the most known cancer is breast cancer. Screening for breast cancer has improved significantly in the UK since 2002 according to NHS data, with 75% of women between the age of 53 and 70 being screened every three years.
The most common sign of breast cancer is the appearance of a lump or hard area within the breast, but thankfully, most of these prove to be benign, however, if you have discovered a lump or bump recently, it's important you see your GP as soon as you can.
Any change in the size of your breasts or discharge from the nipple area is another sign that needs to be investigated (assuming it is not connected to pregnancy). Also, lumps that start to form in the armpits, dimples around the nipple area, and a change in nipple size or discolouration are also signs that need to be checked out.
Skin cancers can form on any part of the body, but the most common places are those that have been exposed to sunlight and in particular the ultraviolet (UV) radiation that comes from it.
Cancer Research UK estimate that 90% of all malignant melanoma cancers (the most serious type of skin cancer) could have been prevented if suitable precautions had been taken. The NHS also warn that artificial light from sunbeds and lamps have a higher UV output than the sun and should be avoided.
Melanomas come in all shapes and sizes and often are formed from existing moles. These are commonly seen on the backs of men and should be watched with care to check for any changes in colour or size. At Three Shires Hospital, we offer a mole-mapping service with enhanced digital photography providing reassurance for those who have concerns about sun exposure and the effects that may be having on their skin in the course of their lives.
Whilst breast cancer is the most common cancer of all in women, lung cancer comes second for both men and women (the most common cancer for men is prostate cancer).
Lung cancer rates have been decreasing year on year since the 1990s, but are increasing for women according to Cancer Research UK.
Unfortunately, lung cancer is hard to detect at an early stage and most people show no symptoms until the cancer is fairly advanced (75% are diagnosed at a late stage). However, early and regular screening for those who may be susceptible to it has been found to help catch this cancer early.
If you are concerned or worried about any type of cancer, please do call Three Shires Hospital to find out how we can help.
Thyroid cancer is rare and is usually treatable. It affects more women than men and tends to affect people in their thirties or the over-sixties.
The most common sign is a lump or swelling in the front of the neck where the thyroid gland resides, but even with those signs, only 5% turn out to be cancerous.
A sore throat or difficulty in swallowing are other signs, but just as with lumps, these are also symptoms of many other diseases and illnesses.
Cancers of the blood represent a large number of cancers in the UK with lymphoma the 5th highest cancer. This mostly affects older people (those over 65 in particular).
The symptoms of blood cancers are varied, which is why blood tests are vital in ensuring a proper diagnosis. With many advances in cancer treatments, the majority of blood cancer patients now survive longer than 5 years, and in the case of some acute blood cancers, they can be cured completely.
I qualified with a 1st class BSc (Hons) Nursing degree from the University of Northampton in January 2013. After two placements within the Oncology and Haematology directorates within Northampton General Hospital, and basing my dissertation studies on exploring the Psycho-social effects of chemotherapy-induced alopecia I decided to pursue my career within the speciality.
I gained my first nursing position as a Staff nurse within the oncology and haematology ward at Northampton General Hospital in January 2013. Within my first year, I completed my cytotoxic chemotherapy Degree module with the University of Northampton, qualifying to administer and understand SACT treatment, its mechanism of action and the management of associated side effects. Shortly after completing this qualification, I undertook a further degree module-level qualification in Nursing mentorship with De Montford University which afforded me the skills to support student nurses on their placement within the ward. After two years I applied and was successfully appointed to a Junior Sister role within the Oncology and Haematology ward and Northampton General Hospital where I remained until December 2020 when I joined Three Shires Hospital.
Initially, appointed part-time within a Specialist oncology role I undertook a further qualification with the Royal Marsden achieving a level 7 qualification in the practice and principles of Breast Cancer Care and ultimately expanding my role to full-time as both an Oncology and Breast Care Specialist nurse.
In my spare time, I enjoy taking long walks and exploring the countryside with my husband and two children.
Having qualified as an adult nurse in 2009, Paula has been specialising in the field of Oncology. Her first 10 years were spent in Northampton General Hospital gaining experience in the Haematology/ Oncology ward, in the outpatient chemotherapy suite as well and a substantial amount of time as the Lead Nurse in the Oncology Emergency Assessment Bay. Paula is currently working here at Three shires Hospital after joining us in March 2020.
In her spare time, Paula is a very keen traveller and has so far visited 47 different countries on 5 of the 7 continents. She planned to increase this number during a career break in 2019/2020 unfortunately her trip was bought to a premature end just 4 ½ months in due to the covid pandemic. She plans to continue her travels in the future.
In the meantime, Paula has three beautiful little grandsons that are 3 years old and younger to keep her extremely busy.
"I am a patient of Dr Craig Knighton
I just want to take this opportunity to compliment you on your fantastic Oncology team at Three Shires.
The care and support, the knowledge sharing and the advice and treatment I am receiving from the team is simply "Outstanding".
I am feeling very positive about my treatment and the only reason for this is due to the team around me.
Dr Craig Knighton is a fantastic human. What an amazing mentor and leader for the team. I am beyond grateful to have him as my Oncologist. My partner and I feel so reassured that he is guiding us on this journey. Nothing is too much trouble for him, he goes above and beyond and with his kind, calm and understanding manner, we both feel in very safe hands.
May I also say that Cathy, Paula, Kat & Bhav are fantastic too!
Great service should be applauded and rewarded and your team should receive both.#
I cannot express how thankful I am for the amazing service from Dr Craig Knighton and his team.
With the warmest of wishes,
Christian "If you are paying for yourself, we can usually offer an upfront cost which you can then choose to pay in full or access one of our easy payment options.
If you have insurance, we can arrange direct settlement with your insurance provider, although you should check in advance to see if your treatment is covered. For more information, visit our private medical page.
Our dedicated team of specialist Oncology nurses provides valuable insights into our accredited Cancer Care Unit, where we prioritize delivering prompt, compassionate, and comfortable treatment to individuals navigating a cancer diagnosis.
