Heartbeat: Cancer support workers – providing personalised care and support
September 24, 2020
The work the cancer services team does reaches beyond the treatment of patients. Indeed, our cancer support workers have a vitally important role to play and offer an array of support ranging from patient information, to how to live with cancer and treatment options to name but a few things.
The new cancer support worker role is having positive outcomes for patients living with and beyond cancer. The role works alongside cancer clinical nurse specialist teams to deliver best practice, personalised care and support to patients.
A key aspect of the role is to deliver holistic needs assessments (HNA) and care planning. The HNA explores what matters to patients to help resolve any practical, emotional or physical worries or concerns they may have. This is done by signposting to relevant information, advice and support. We caught up with cancer support workers Donna Cross, Ilaham Mohammed and Lucy Wright to find out about their diverse roles.
Donna Cross, Haemato-Oncology Cancer Support Worker at Sandwell Hospital remarked: “We support patients from the start of their journeys through to treatment and beyond. By providing a single point of access we can support and provide information to signpost patients to the services they require.
“During COVID-19, I have been able to continue supporting patients over the phone, and I have worked with them to help wherever possible to alleviate any fears and anxiety. I am proud of the relationships I have built up with my patients and enjoy working to offer them the care and support they need.”
Ilaham Mohammed, Cancer Support Worker for lung and gynae specialties echoes these sentiments. She remarked: “The cancer support worker role allows me to work with specialist nursing colleagues and other healthcare professionals to improve the lives of patients. I have daily contact with them, their relatives and carers to help them make informed choices about their care. I feel this role helps to empower people by providing practical and emotional support at a time when they need it most.
“The feedback we have received from patients shows that this additional contact with the patient is very important; it’s an opportunity for us to listen to patient concerns and focus on their needs. Not all of our patients have concerns and that is fine, for us it is important that they know we are here if, and when, they need us.”
Lucy Wright is a Cancer Support Worker in the breast unit and for urology. She told us: “A core part of the role is to promote and signpost patients to all forms of support available to our patients. Some available resources include national charities such as Macmillan, Breast Cancer Now or Prostate Cancer UK, others are within the Trust and many more across our local cancer care community. This can include support groups, health and wellbeing events, social activities and complementary therapies.
“We have received great feedback from patient surveys carried out in the breast care unit. Patients have found HNAs very useful – they have enabled them to self-manage their care and improve their quality of life.”
Jane Ogleby, Haematology CNS added: “We have found that by having support workers on hand it gives the patient more of a voice as well as providing a reassuring ear. It supports them to make their own choices around their care and wellbeing which in turn improves their journey holistically. This enables them to concentrate on their treatment and on getting well. It certainly improves their experience and helps to gives them back control about their support needs with a focus on physical side effects that persist, coping strategies, social issues and psychological support.
Emma Hunstone from the Living With and Beyond Cancer Team, commented: “Our cancer Support Workers have an important role to play in ensuring we are delivering best practice cancer care and support to patients and improving their experience and outcomes.
“The results of the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2020 are already showing the positive impact that HNAs and care planning is having on the patient experience overall. This year alone, we’ve seen more people receiving information about support groups, getting financial help and exploring the impact cancer could have on their day to day activities. These are all genuine concerns raised by patients and once resolved it enables them to concentrate on living well.”