Surge in cancer patients calling helpline as NHS struggles to cope

CANCER helplines are facing a surge in calls from patients because overstretched NHS doctors and nurses do not have time to care for them, a charity has warned.

Macmillan Cancer Support said it had received more than 240,000 inquiries to its support line in 2019, with staff reporting that many patients were left distressed because they felt they could not question the health workers in charge of their care.

The charity said many patients felt at “breaking point” by the time they contacted helplines, with a 14 per cent rise in the last two years.

Lynda Thomas, chief executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said the increased demand showed “there simply aren’t enough” NHS staff to meet the needs of the growing number of people diagnosed with cancer.

“We’re incredibly proud of the service our support line provides, but it’s heart-rending that so many people call at breaking point, having struggled to find the support they need from their healthcare team, who we know are run ragged and doing the best they can,” she said. “The newly formed Government must urgently deliver on its promises to prioritise a fully-funded plan for our NHS workforce so that everyone living with cancer can receive the very best care and support they need.”

Ellen Lang, a service manager on Macmillan’s support line, said: “When you only have 10 minutes with your doctor, and your nurse is visibly rushed off their feet, it’s inevitable that you’ll leave without all the answers you need.”

The top reason callers contacted Macmillan in 2019 was for emotional support, with 8,011 people calling with anxiety, fear and depression. This was a 20 per cent rise on the previous year.

The second most common reason was problems accessing hospital or community care, with 5,351 such cases, up 11 per cent in a year. This included difficulties contacting staff involved in medical care, accessing specialist medical equipment or hospice care.

Official figures show that for all nine NHS cancer targets between April and September, the lowest percentage of patients were treated on time since the standards were introduced a decade ago.