At RED ARC Assured one of our primary concerns is for the on-going support of our patients once they are diagnosed with a serious illness and then both during and after their treatment. We find that as NHS treatment for a condition is winding down then RED ARC can provide enormously valuable support, information and even sometimes a shoulder to cry on.
Recently the cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support and the Nursing Times published a new survey. The following article highlights some of the key issues raised within the survey :
Needs of cancer survivors ignored say nurses*
Four out of five nurses (82%) say the needs of people living with or after cancer in the UK are not being met by the NHS, according to a new survey by Macmillan Cancer Support and the Nursing Times.
Nurses report that following initial treatment, 92% of patients experience physical problems and 96% experience emotional problems but they say these needs are not properly addressed.
A lack of services available to help people adjust to the consequences of cancer and its treatment, insufficient advice about returning to work and how to cope financially make it difficult for patients to get their lives back on track after treatment, according to the nurses.
Jessica Corner, chief clinician at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "It is shocking that so many nurses believe the NHS is failing cancer survivors. Two million people are currently living with a cancer diagnosis and yet our survey shows not all nurses have access to training or can find the services to help these people, many of whom are in desperate need."
Only two out of three (63%) of the nurses who received training to help care for people with a cancer diagnosis said it had given them adequate understanding and knowledge of the needs of cancer survivors.
People living with and beyond cancer often have difficulty getting their lives back when hospital treatment ends. They may experience emotional problems, side effects such as severe fatigue or lymphoedema, or find it hard to get back to work, pay the bills or start a family.
*Source news@himag.com
For most of our scheme sponsors cancer is the most common diagnosis presented to our nurses. So they deal daily with the ramifications of both the physical and emotional aspects of the problems as outlined above. Within our standard serious illness service there is both unlimited telephone support from our Personal Nurse Advisers and where appropriate therapy and or psychological counselling.
For more information about the services we can provide to cancer survivors or about RED ARC Assured generally please contact Phil Knight, Development Manager on e-mail pknight@redarc.co.uk
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