The Specialist Palliative Care Service in Stockport have revealed some of the ways that they have adapted to lockdown conditions to continue to provide care and support to vulnerable patients nearing the end of their lives.

The integrated hospital and community service at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust supported by Macmillan, which includes Macmillan Nurses and Consultants, have continued to provide face-to-face end of life and palliative care while wearing PPE, are also making four times as many telephone calls to patients struggling with the intense psychological and emotional impact of shielding.

Clinicians are now making up to 20 phone and video calls a day to patients and carers and the team have been training nursing colleagues on how to deliver ‘difficult conversations’ on sensitive end-of-life topics over the phone.

Andy Ballington, Macmillan Specialist Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist said: “It’s challenging enough under normal circumstances for patients to deal with the fact that they have a terminal diagnosis, but under the current situation where they are shielding and many unable to see family it is incredibly difficult for them and some people are struggling with acute anxiety and depression.

“We have some patients who simply don’t have any family living nearby. They are lonely and scared and need to have conversations with us to try and alleviate their fears.

“We are of course still making face-to-face visits to some patients. We do a risk assessment for each visit and wear full PPE. But the PPE is a barrier in itself and it can be very difficult sometimes to communicate in the sensitive way that people need.

“One of our patients was a lady who was struggling with coming to terms with her diagnosis and had taken the decision not to have further treatment. She had overwhelming anxiety. She was also hard of hearing, so phone and video calls were unsuitable for. Seeing her face-to-face at home would have required me to wear a face mask, which again would have made it impossible for her to hear me or lip-read. In the end I took the decision to sit in her back garden at a 2-metre distance without the need for PPE and talk to her from there. It was the right thing to do for that patient and I was able to bring her some calm and reassurance.”

Jane Melvin, Macmillan Cancer Support’s Head of Partnerships North and Northwest said: “Macmillan clinical teams are doing an incredible job supporting people living with cancer at this extremely challenging time. Hearing about the ways that the Stockport Macmillan teams have adapted during Covid-19 reminds us yet again of how dedicated, caring and resourceful our Macmillan Professionals are.

“They are working hard to ensure that cancer does not become the ‘forgotten C’. It’s crucial that the government urgently sets out a clear plan of how cancer services will be prioritised in the NHS and the backlog cleared as quickly and safely as possible to ensure people with cancer don’t miss out on the critical support and treatment they need.”

In the UK, an estimated quarter of a million people with cancer fall into the clinically vulnerable category for coronavirus  and Macmillan is experiencing an unprecedented surge in demand for its existing services.

In a bid to ensure it can continue to fund services and provide cancer care and support now and in the future, Macmillan recently launched an emergency fundraising appeal.

The appeal launched at a time when Macmillan began rolling out a series of brand-new virtual services to ensure the three million people living with cancer in the UK  can access the support they need, now more than ever.

The virtual services include:

• A cancer and coronavirus digital hub – New section on the Macmillan website full of guidance and advice for people affected by cancer and healthcare professionals. Updated regularly with the most asked questions by people with cancer, there is information about everything from coronavirus and cancer treatment to dealing with anxiety and financial support.
• Telephone Buddies – A new volunteers telephone befriending service is being rolled out across the UK to provide a vital emotional lifeline to cancer patients in isolation to combat anxiety and loneliness.
• Virtual ‘prehabilitation’ services – to help people with cancer cope with the emotional and physical effects of cancer, including video calls and virtual workshops for patients to support their wellbeing while they isolate at home.
• Increased support for Macmillan Nurses and professionals on the frontline to help them support people with cancer in the best way possible, and look after their own wellbeing

Anyone affected by cancer can contact the Macmillan Support Line Service on 0808 808 00 00 or to access online support at Macmillan.org.uk