FOUR new support workers with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are helping to deliver care in the county for patients with breast, prostate and colorectal cancer.

The new team from Macmillan work alongside clinical staff to help patients identify and address concerns about how their diagnosis has affected them and how they can address it.

Macmillan is funding the support worker posts for two years at a total cost of around £175,000, including salaries, on-costs and other costs associated with the roles.

Mel Woodman, a former health care assistant who supports colorectal patients, said: “Patients often don’t feel they can burden busy nurses and doctors with non-clinical questions so we are there to give patients a safe space to talk about how cancer is affecting them in their day to day life.”

By building rapport with patients each member of the team is able to respond to patients’ needs, offering group, one to one and telephone support, depending on the circumstances.

“Having a cancer diagnosis is not just about treatment, it affects your whole life and those around you,” said Karen Collyer, who supports prostate cancer patients and has worked in the NHS in Gloucestershire for eight years.

By 2020 almost 1 in 2 people will receive a cancer diagnosis at some time during their lives.

Ali Williams, a former primary school teacher who went on to study for master’s degree in psychology, said: “Helping people deal with the distress and problems they face is very rewarding, the help we offer outside of the clinical questions means people can take back control of their lives.”

The four new support worker posts are part of the wider living with and beyond cancer programme aimed at delivering improved care for the growing number of cancer patients.

Debra Crebbin has worked in the NHS since 2007 supporting breast cancer patients and lost an uncle to cancer two years ago: “It was difficult to find support at that time so when I saw this job advertised I realised that was just what was needed to help people at a very difficult time for them.”

The programme is a collaboration between Gloucestershire CCG, GHNHSFT, Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support.

To get involved with Macmillan call 0300 1000 200 or for support, information or just to chat, call 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk