Support services at Cancer Centre London
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We understand that patients don’t just go through physical challenges when they deal with cancer. From counselling and physiotherapy to group support and complementary therapies, our support services are vast and epitomise our commitment to looking after our patients’ mental health as well as their physical wellbeing.
Our services
- Complementary therapies
- Counselling
- Dietitian service
- Groups and support
- Look Good Feel Better sessions
- Pain management
- Palliative care
- Physiotherapy
- Links to useful websites/charities
Breast Care Nurses
Central to the range of support provided specifically for breast cancer patients is the dedicated Breast Care Nursing service. These are registered nurses with specialised training in breast care. They are available to discuss any clinical issues arising before and after surgical or oncological treatments. The service gives you extra support, information and advice if you are having breast cancer treatment at CCL.
Our Breast Care Nurses provide:
- Support and information at diagnosis
- Psychological and emotional support to patients, carers and family members
- Onsite support and advice during your hospital stay
- Provide written and verbal information at appropriate time points regarding diagnosis and treatments for breast cancer
- Continuing support and advice following your stay in hospital and throughout your treatment
- Provide practical procedures such as seroma drainage, wound care and prosthesis/bra fitting
- Provide links to other medical and healthcare professionals
- Assess individual needs through use of a Holistic Needs Assessment.
These services are available from diagnosis and throughout the treatment pathway. Our Breast Care Nurses can also help you with any concerns when you have finished your treatment. This is part of our ongoing commitment to give you the best possible support.
Meeting your Breast Cancer Nurse
All CCL patients diagnosed with breast cancer will be given an appointment within 72 hours of receiving their diagnosis. This first appointment is designed to give you a chance to seek answers to any questions you may have. We appreciate this is a difficult time, and that you may be feeling overwhelmed, so the initial meeting will enable us to provide you with information on diagnosis and the treatment options available.
The Breast Care Nurses at CCL offer a dedicated clinic for patients who have had a diagnosis of breast cancer. The aim of this clinic is to assess how the individual is coping on a physical and psychological basis through the use of a Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA).
Evidence suggests that having an HNA after diagnosis, during and at the end of treatment helps to identify the issues that are important to you. It is also an opportunity for you to ask questions and gather information on upcoming treatments or advice on how you move forward once treatments are completed. We can also make referrals to other departments (e.g. physiotherapy, dieticians, counsellors etc).