Improving the Cancer Journey Service

Living with cancer in Glasgow? The Improving the Cancer Journey Service is here for you.

Improving The Cancer Journey 

Cancer doesn't just affect your physical well being it can affect every aspect of your life, from your emotions to your finances. However often people don't know where to turn for support. That's why Glasgow City Council and Macmillan Cancer Support have launched the Improving Cancer Journey Service. Our Service is here to help people affected by cancer get the support they need, whether its financial, emotional, medical or practical. 

How can we help?

Get in touch with us and a member of our team will contact you to find out what kind of help you need.

Here are some of the ways in which we can help support you:

• Money or Housing
• Caring responsibilities
• Physical concerns
• Complimentary therapies
• Emotional concerns

If appropriate, a link worker can take you through something called a Holistic Needs Assessment to identify your main concerns and develop a care plan.

Holistic Needs Assessment

A Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA) gives you a chance to think about your concerns and discuss possible solutions.

It is called 'holistic' because the assessment looks at needs or concerns you may have about any area of your life and not just about the symptoms of the cancer.

These concerns can be:

• physical
• emotional
• practical
• financial
• spiritual.

You will talk about these with your link worker and make a plan to address your care and support needs. The link worker will be your main contact for advice and information.

Having a HNA is about recognising that any area of your life affected by cancer is important. It gives you the time to explore what resources, help and support are available.

What happens at an HNA?

An HNA usually has three parts:

1. You answer a simple set of questions or fill in a checklist about all areas of your life. This is to identify any concerns you may have. You are often asked to rate how mild or severe your concerns are. This can help decide what needs to be dealt with first.
2. You discuss answers with your key worker. This is a chance to talk about the issues you have identified. You can bring a carer, family member or friend to this meeting. 
3. You create a care plan together. You will then discuss and plan how to deal with your concerns. This is sometimes referred to as a care plan.

The care plan may include things like ideas to help you manage emotional, physical or practical worries. It will also include contact details for organisations or services that could help with your concerns, such as the Macmillan benefits team or a dietitian.

Your key worker will write down the actions you agree on. You will then be offered a copy of this plan to take away with you. It may also be shared with other members of your healthcare team if it will help with your care.

Where can we meet?

The service can provide support on the following platforms:

• Face-to-face within all of Glasgow's major hospitals and other outreach settings (currently suspended due to COVID)
• Over the telephone
• Online via video call

Improving the Cancer Journey partnership

Improving the Cancer Journey is a partnership between Macmillan Cancer Support, Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Beatson Cancer Charity and Wheatley Group.