Mental and emotional wellbeing support for people affected by cancer

We are reviewing mental and emotional wellbeing support for people affected by cancer to ensure services are based on good clinical evidence and is what our communities need.

It can be difficult to cope with a cancer diagnosis, the effects of treatment and life after cancer. The services work with patients, families, carers and staff to identify and address any challenges with coping with cancer.

Not everyone affected by cancer will need to use these services, and support can be provided in a number of ways, with some people moving between different types of support.

Ways that you may have received support include:

• Being listened to and having your questions answered by members of staff such as nurses or oncology consultants.
• Receiving information like leaflets or being signposted to websites which offer general emotional support.
• Attending support groups to help manage common feelings like worry or stress.
• Short-term support with staff such as relaxation techniques and stress management as well as working through priorities with patients.
• Receiving therapies such as counselling or more structured talking therapies (Lincolnshire Talking Therapies), as well as support for families. An example of this might be a patient receiving Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for severe panic attacks before scans.
• Specialist psychological therapy with a Clinical Psychologist to support patients with complex mental health difficulties such as high-levels of anxiety or depression, trauma or other complex end-of-life issues.

We want to hear from:

• People currently in cancer treatment, in remission, or receiving palliative care for cancer
• Anyone who has tried to get emotional support (whether you got it or not)
• Family members and carers of people affected by cancer
• People who chose private support or relied on charities/community groups

Why we are reviewing the service

We want to make sure that emotional and psychological support for people affected by cancer in Lincolnshire:

• Helps patients feel supported at every stage of their cancer journey
• Provides stability and support for both cancer patients and NHS staff
• Meets the needs of our local communities
• Is delivered safely and based on clinical evidence
• Has the right pathways, staffing, and referral processes

This review will help us understand what is working well, what needs improving, and how we can ensure that everyone gets the right help when they need it.

The information you provide is anonymous and will not be stored with any identifying information about you. We may use anonymised statistics and data provided by you collectively to identify trends and inform discussions about how to improve our practice.

If you feel you need support, please speak to your care team or visit the NHS urgent mental health helpline (24/7) by calling 111 and selecting the ‘mental health’ option.

‘Let’s talk’ health and wellbeing Lincolnshire.