More support for Cancer patients in Norfolk
Cancer services in Norfolk and Waveney have partnered with Macmillan Cancer Support for the expansion of the Macmillan Telephone Buddy Service.
Norfolk’s most senior cancer nurses have joined forces to promote a telephone-based support service that can ‘work wonders’ for cancer patients in search of regular, one-to-one support.
The county’s three lead cancer nurses – Jo Richardson (Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital), Sarah Witting (Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn) and Julie Buckenham (James Paget University Hospital) - are hopeful that the Macmillan Telephone Buddy Service will offer direct support to cancer patients who continue to feel anxious and isolated, even as the country opens up.
The trio of nurses have witnessed first-hand the unique, emotional challenges posed by Covid-19 for people diagnosed with cancer in the last year, with their dedicated teams of specialist nurses spending more time reassuring patients who are worried about how their treatment and care will pan out, are feeling lonely and low, or don’t feel comfortable confiding in family or friends.
They’re urging people with cancer to take advantage of the Macmillan Telephone Buddy Service, which offers an hour-long, weekly chat with a trained volunteer for up to eight weeks or more. So far, more than 3,200 people across the UK have benefitted from chats with a buddy.
The service will match you with someone who understands what you're going through, and will give you a weekly call. They will provide a listening ear, ready to talk about how you’re feeling and support needs. They can also let you know about our services, and all the ways Macmillan can help, to ensure you don't face cancer alone.
Cancer services in Norfolk and Waveney have been gathering patient feedback on services during the pandemic in a bid to identify what has been working well and where improvements can be made. The NHS was particularly keen to hear whether COVID-19 had impacted on patients’ ability to access cancer services and whether the right information and support is available.
Following that feedback, the Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership joined forces with Macmillan Cancer Support to provide additional support to patients.
Jo Richardson, Macmillan lead cancer nurse at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital said:
“Coping with a cancer diagnosis can be difficult at any time, but the stress of experiencing a serious illness on top of a pandemic has been wholly overwhelming for some patients.”
“Sometimes, the simplest and most effective way to relieve a bit of that pent-up anxiety is to have a chat with someone kind, who understands what you’re going through, but is that one step removed from your family and friends. That’s the Macmillan Telephone Buddy Service in a nutshell – it can work wonders.”
Maggie Tween, Cancer Programme Manager at the NHS Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group, and told us:
"Having a cancer diagnoses makes you worried about the future and how things are going to progress."
"There is always somebody there who can listen to how your feeling abut your diagnoses or treatment.”
People can sign up by visiting macmillan.org.uk/telephonebuddies or by calling the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm).