Extra support for cancer sufferers

Oct 2 2008 by John Rowbotham, Hamilton Advertiser

SERVICES for Lanarkshire’s cancer patients have been given a major boost.

A weekend blood transfusion service and a chemotherapy helpline, also available each Saturday and Sunday, have just been launched.

Additional specialist nurses have been taken on to ensure that cancer patients and their families get the best possible advice.

NHS Lanarkshire, in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, are running the new weekend blood transfusion service at Monklands Hospital.

A health board spokesman said it would provide a more relaxed and supportive environment for patients to have their treatment.

The new weekend chemotherapy helpline is available to all NHS Lanarkshire cancer patients.

Patients and relatives plus other clinical staff such as GPs will also benefit from the new service.

Among the new nursing recruits are Wilma Jamieson, of Strathaven, and Lorna MacNicol and Fran O’Brien, both from Wishaw.

Lorna, NHS Lanarkshire’s first lead gastrointestinal (GI) cancer clinical nurse specialist, helps patients with cancers of the bowel, gullet, stomach and pancreas.

“For the previous five years, there has been a lead colorectal clinical nurse specialist (CNS) post in Lanarkshire which covered bowel cancers,” she said.

“When that post became vacant it was decided that the new lead nurse role should encompass all gastrointestinal cancers, such as bowel, gullet, stomach and pancreatic cancer.

“The new role provides both nursing leadership and a central focus for the co-ordination of GI cancer services.”

Wilma is the health board’s first upper GI cancer CNS and provides patients with a single point of contact for a range of support and advice across the three Lanarkshire acute hospitals.

Wilma explained: “I’m involved with assisting people as soon as they have been diagnosed and from then on I’m their main point of contact.

“This means people don’t need to worry about who they should be speaking to about test results or appointments or advice; they have my number and can just give me a call.

Lanarkshire women with gynaecological cancers now have access to dedicated specialist nurse Fran O’Brien, who will accompany them throughout their entire treatment.

Fran explained: “My role involves offering advice, education and support to patients, their families and their carers.

“It helps patients and their families to have one person who is with them from the moment they are diagnosed and who knows exactly what they have been through.”

Much of Fran’s time is spent at her base in Wishaw General but she also spends a half-day at Monklands Hospital and does home visits.

She added: “People have different experiences and treatments so it’s important that we can provide them with the best care suited to their needs and I think my post is important in making sure that happens.”

l Both new weekend services, the blood transfusion service and the Chemotherapy Helpline, operate from 8am to 5pm on a Saturday and Sunday.

The number for the Chemotherapy Helpline is 01236 713312.