POOLE Hospital's haematology department has been recognised as one of the top centres in the Uk for treating the blood cancer myeloma.

Myeloma UK – the only organisation in the UK that deals exclusively with this type of cancer - which affects several areas of the body – presented a glass plaque to the department for fulfilling a number of criteria set by its Clinical Service Excellence Programme.

The criteria includes the quality and breadth of treatments provided, patient accommodation and how patients are supported socially and psychologically.

Poole's service includes both outpatients and inpatients who are treated by specialist nurses and doctors and it is only the twelfth centre in the UK to receive this accreditation.

Clinical lead for haematology, Dr Rebecca Maddams, said: "The accreditation recognises the quality of the service we provide to our patients with myeloma and encourages us to strive for further improvements.

“Being presented with this plaque is great for the morale of the team and recognition of all the hard work that has been done, and will continue to be done, to improve care for patients with myeloma.”

Myeloma UK said it was especially impressed with Poole's 'Robust education programme, including regular haematology education days'.

“The provision of counselling services plus the range and access to free complementary therapies are some of the best we’ve seen," it said.