Health / New service aims to improve support during people’s cancer journey
A NEW service is underway in Shetland designed to improve the support provided to people affected by cancer.
The Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) service offers adults affected by cancer – including families, friends and carers – the chance to have a conversation with a dedicated link worker to discuss their needs and help access tailored information and support.
ICJ – a partnership between Macmillan Cancer Support and NHS Shetland – aims to provide a personable and flexible service to help people affected by cancer get the support they need, whether it is financial, emotional, medical or practical.
NHS Shetland said the service provides additional help to individuals as part of their network of support from other services, third sector and clinical care teams.
The Macmillan-funded service is being delivered by Shetland Community Connections and commissioned by NHS Shetland for the next five and a half years.
ICJ has been highlighted by Scottish Government as an initiative that every health board in Scotland must have, and is part of a wider ten-year strategy for improving cancer care across the nation.
The service has been live in Shetland since August, with two link workers – Cherie Wallace and Julie Williamson – delivering support across the isles.
Wallace moved to Shetland from NHS Lothian earlier in the year where she previously worked as a radiographer, while Williamson has experience as a community connector and working in social care in Shetland.
Wallace said: “A journey that an individual can go on when receiving a cancer diagnosis can be complex, traumatic and sometimes lonely.
“We try to help solve many varied problems with practical and creative solutions, and hopefully make their journey slightly easier. We will always try and help however we can.
“Just recently we were helping to coordinate the care of a pet for an individual while they were staying in hospital. And for another person, we supported them with a meter reading.”
Williamson added: “We check in with patients and their family and we can help signpost people to other third sector services, support with referrals and be a key point of contact to isolated or vulnerable patients.
“ICJ is a mobile and accessible service. We are happy to make home visits, but also have phone calls, or correspond over email.”
NHS Shetland chief executive Brian Chittick said it is a project he has been involved with from inception whilst in a previous role which covered Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles.
“It has taken a while designing the pathway which is specific for each area,” he added.
“It is a great service and I am so happy to see the link workers Julie and Cherie in place supporting our community. NHS Shetland is keen to support our patients and this new pathway through our commitment to partnership working to ensure best outcomes for our community.”
An individual is able to self-refer to the ICJ service.
Upon referral an ICJ link worker will get in contact to inform the person about the service and schedule an appointment which will involve a conversation about any needs or concerns they need support with.
A care plan can be created with additional information about local services that may be of benefit to the person.
The link worker will keep in touch with the person to ensure that the concerns or needs raised are improving.
The ICJ Shetland link workers will be visiting Tesco on Saturday 16 November, between 10am and 2pm, where they will host a table with additional information and resources, and be able to provide help and support with how to self-refer to the service.
To find out more information and contact details visit this webpage.
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