Cancer patients face choice over health or finance, warns charity
SOME CANCER patients face having to choose between their health and finances as the shielding programme draws to a close, a charity has warned.
Macmillan Cancer Support said that the programme, whereby people classed as clinically extremely vulnerable to the risks of Covid-19 have been asked to take extra measures to protect themselves, has been a “vital lifeline”. But the programme, which will be paused from Saturday, will see many people forced back to work.
A survey conducted by Macmillan found many cancer patients were fearful of returning to workplaces, with 42 per cent feeling it is currently unsafe for them to work outside of their home.
One in three people with cancer in work said that Covid-19 had affected their finances, with some saying they have been left struggling to pay their bills. The findings have prompted Macmillan
to call on the Government to extend its job retention scheme to help people who are classed as clinically vulnerable.
It is also calling for greater clarity on workplace protections for people with cancer who are returning to work.
Meanwhile, employers must also play their part by ensuring they make provisions for vulnerable staff, the charity said. It said there could be devastating consequences if people with cancer are forced to return to workplaces before it is safe.
Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan, said: “The measures put in place by governments during the coronavirus pandemic for those shielding has been a vital lifeline for many over the last four months. It is critical that this safety net doesn’t just disappear. We need clarity around how people with cancer will be supported and kept safe as the world starts to return to normal.
“Cancer must not become the ‘forgotten C’ in this pandemic. As the UK Government encourages people in England to return to work, stronger protections must be put in place for people who have been shielding or are clinically vulnerable.
“It is critical that we allow them to step back from the cliff edge of having to choose between protecting their health or staying in work and paying their bills.”