More Support Rolled Out For Jersey Cancer Patients

A new project has been launched to better support people in Jersey living with cancer.

The venture is a collaboration between Health and Community Services (HCS) and Macmillan Cancer Support Jersey. 

It aims to transform the cancer care experience for adult patients in Jersey with the introduction of a holistic needs assessment and a personalised care plan, which will be shared with and implemented by all relevant healthcare services.

This is part of the Improving the Cancer Journey Jersey (ICJJ) project and follows the team's work in improving awareness of where those living with cancer in Jersey can go for support. 

It's hoped that this will address the problems cancer care teams on the island currently face in terms of integration. 

According to the Cancer Strategy Steering Group, GP services and hospital staff do not have access to the same management systems, and communication between them is through writing letters. 

A report by the group said this slows down the initial referral process for patients and subsequent correspondence between clinicians.

This new project seeks to address these problems by:

• Establishing an equitable process for identifying and addressing the needs of all cancer patients across Jersey, ensuring every individual receives the support they require throughout their care pathway.
• Bridging the gap between HCS and community-based services, fostering a more connected health care ecosystem.
• Developing a dedicated psycho-oncology triage and intervention pathway, addressing the psychological and emotional aspects of cancer care.
•  Enhancing the collaborative efforts between HCS professionals and Macmillan Jersey professionals, strengthening the support network for cancer patients.

Dr Elizabeth Gomes Dos Santos, Oncology Consultant, said:

 "All the physicians and all the nurses that come into contact with the patient will now be able to look at the holistic needs assessment before they interact with them.

They will now be able to say, 'I realise you're worried about a certain aspect - how can I help you?'

Patients will now not have to re-tell the whole story to each person who supports them with cancer care."