Scots cancer patients left alone to cope

Scots cancer patients are not getting the support and information they need to deal with them after they leave hospital with the disease.

A survey undertaken amongst 1814 members carried out for leading love Macmillan Cancer support showed that two-thirds of cancer patients (66 percent) in Scotland the cancer or its treatment [1] left hospital after the first treatment with no information about how to deal with the impact.

The survey also found that two-thirds (65 percent) made the Scots in question no ongoing support of cancer nurse specialist, get during more than half of the patients (57%), that they were not given to contact information about who said, if they concerns with regard to their disease [1].

As part of its amendment of cancer care campaign, Macmillan today is for those who routinely diagnosed cancer information is offered call and support as part of a maintenance plan.

Better use of the Clinical nurse of cancer specialists for all diagnosed cancer patient supply would improve.

With the number of people with multiple diagnosis cancer to almost double in Scotland over the next 20 years [2], Macmillan called for urgent reforms to health must cope with term services to more patients.

Elspeth Atkinson, Macmillan's Director for Scotland, said:

' Patients often deserted feel, after their hospital treatment to end and many develop in the long term emotional, psychological and physical problems that seriously affect their quality of life. Reform is needed because the current system in the long term requirements does not patients.

' Is not all too often clearly help is available to people, so each patient must be specified information to support services in their area and information about who to contact if they have questions or concerns.

'We know that by empowering patients with the right kind of information also NHS free resources such as health problems until can be identified and treated to a much earlier point in time.'

To highlight these problems, the charity reclaims today e-campaign the public to see its a minute online film and its change in cancer care.

Each log trigger an e-Mail highlighting the charity calls to local candidates in the forthcoming elections Scottish Parliament.

Frances Connor, 51, who became Wellhouse, Glasgow, diagnosed with colon cancer two years ago. She said:

' If you are diagnosed cancer, it is such a shock and you don't know what you think. For me, have any questions about which much later, cancer was meant.

"I think I would handle much better if I I had known diagnosed from the day, was where I could ask questions, or feel to help."

' I was lucky, because when I was in the hospital, I happened, open a newspaper and find information and support service to Robinson an article about the Macmillan.

"If it had it not, I would not know where you go." As it was, it was a month after my diagnosis before I any information or support and, I felt during this time, so shocked because I didn't know what going to happen me was. "

Maureen Monaghan, 35, of Shettleston, Glasgow, said, that they do not know how to get without the ongoing support of their clinical nurse specialist (CNS), Macmillan cope with nurse would have.

It is now almost four years since Maureen Hodgkin's lymphoma are diagnosed, but she found that it still needs to their CNS phone, that does it, when she was first diagnosed.

Maureen, a project worker, explains:

' As time has gone, other issues come up for me, such as fatigue, when I return to work or a part of the emotional side effects of treatment to deal with.

' I know that I return to my Macmillan to provide nurse and questions that come is really good, but I know, this is not the case for all can always go. I think cancer patients need from the time they know are diagnosed with whither, for information and support, I know I would meet nurse so well without the help of my Macmillan have.'

Notes

Macmillan has established a network of support and information on Scotland.

References:

[1] Life 1,814 members carried out online survey of 1,912 UK adult with cancer; 141 of which lived in Scotland. Field work, found August between 26 July 9 2010. 1740 respondents in the United Kingdom were from YouGov's online panel, with an additional 172 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland of Macmillan's own contacts based of of cancer affected people. The figures are unweighted.

[2] There are 190 000 people living with or about cancer in Scotland. If this number by 3% per year rise continues, this could live with 360,000 people or you can find about cancer by 2030 under. Source: rough estimates for the end of 2010 and 2030. internal analysis of intelligence and research of Macmillan Cancer support. Analysis based on data from Maddams J, et al. cancer prevalence in the United Kingdom: estimates for the year 2008. British Journal of cancer. 2009. 101: 541-547. (Estimates assume a boost is consistent in every nation and remains unchanged in 20 years, as such, which are only indicative, they are not statistically reliable and could change as more information available.)

Source:
Macmillan Cancer support