Health bosses ‘decimating vital support for county’s cancer patients’

Emotional plea not to alter vital service aiding mental wellbeing

CANCER patients and campaigners have accused health bosses of “decimating” an important service that supports them with the psychological and emotional effects of the devastating disease.

Patients helped by the psycho-oncology service, run by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT), have penned an emotional appeal detailing their own experiences to bosses asking them to keep the service as is.

LPT says the service is being merged with others and will offer “a 24-hour NICE- recommended acute mental health liaison service”.

But patients and volunteers dispute the claim and have raised concerns that cancer patients won’t have access to the designated and personal support that the current setup provides.

Suresh Chauhan, chairman of the pscho-oncology patients group, said: “This drastic cut does not make any sense.

“So instead of growing this important service, there are plans to decimate it.

“Patients’ voices cannot be ignored, there has been very little consultation with them.”

Dr Janet Harrison, a psycho-oncology service volunteer and former service user, and volunteer Julie Baggott said: “Without any public consultation or notification to patients, the Leicesterbrought shire Partnership Trust have axed their dedicated psycho-oncology service.

“This service is essential to help patients manage their mental health during and after their cancer treatment.

“It is a massive cut in service provision for 300 cancer patients in Leicestershire.

“Without it, cancer patients will be even more vulnerable and unsupported emotionally.”

LPT said the psychooncology service is currently supporting 182 patients who are receiving either outpatient care under the consultant or treatment through our mental health practitioners.

Anonymised patient experiences demonstrate how important the service has been to some of its users with several remarking that they found the psychological recovery more testing than the physical.

One account reads: “Until you have experienced the support of this service you do not know how unique and important it is.

“Cancer is still the dreaded C-word even with the devastation

by Covid

19.

“My NHS treatment was amazing, they saved my life twice, but their role is to physically repair you, you cannot imagine a tiny fraction of what it is like to end your appointments.

“To be abandoned, dropped off the edge of a cliff, just at a time when those around you expect you to celebrate and return to normal.

Patient

“The service gave me the space to breathe and put into words what was spinning around in my head. More importantly it gave me the chance to listen to others and realise I was not alone, nor was I about to break.

“With more and more patients surviving for longer and with Covid-19, the demand for this unique support will be far greater due to delays in diagnosis, treatment and fear of infection.”

Changes to the service will see it integrated with a new service offering 24-hour mental health support.

It gave me the chance to listen to others and realise I was not alone, nor was I about to break