Cancer patients worried by NHS workload

Cancer patients are too afraid to ask for support because they are worried about adding to the workload of overstretched NHS staff, a charity fears.

More than two-thirds of newly-diagnosed cancer patients questioned by Macmillan Cancer Support said they are not getting all the help they need.

About one-fifth of the 6,905 people in the survey said the healthcare professionals caring for them seemed to have “unmanageable” workloads.

These patients were a third more likely to have physical and emotional needs that were not being addressed, such as

”Patients are reluctant to ask for information or support”

depression, anxiety, pain and trouble sleeping, the charity said.

It fears some patients are reluctant to ask for information or support because they are concerned about the welfare of those looking after them.

“Isolated” patients are struggling to get hold of healthcare professionals, and increasingly turning to Macmillan to express their concerns about staffing levels, the charity said.

Onyeka Abajingin, a cancer information and support adviser on the Macmillan support line, said: “We are taking more and more calls from people with cancer who are coming to us because they are concerned about delays to treatment and a lack of information given by the NHS.

Macmillan is launching its #SaveOurSupport campaign to raise donations to help its services support more people living with cancer.

It is calling on the government to address staffing problems across the NHS and social care.