If you or someone you know has been affected by cancer, Improving the Cancer Journey is here to help. Improving the Cancer Journey, in partnership with Macmillan, is a dedicated service to support anyone affected by cancer with their non-clinical needs. This could be the person with the cancer diagnosis, or it could be someone affected by that diagnosis, such as family or carers.
When someone is diagnosed with cancer, they often describe feeling like they’re in a maze. It can be difficult to know what services are out there and where to access them. The Improving the Cancer Journey Service is here to support with this, and help people to access the services that can support with their non-clinical concerns.
Non-clinical concerns may include:
- Supporting someone to access local teams that can help with money or housing worries and benefits
- Addressing caring or work responsibilities
- Connecting with those that can support with addressing physical concerns
- Accessing complimentary therapies
- Helping with emotional concerns, connecting with wellbeing support and services
- Accessing information to answer questions or concerns about cancer and treatment
When someone affected by cancer accesses the ICJ service, they will be offered a Holistic Needs Assessment, which is a simple check-list style questionnaire that helps to understand what means most to the person. The key areas addressed within a Holistic Needs Assessment are financial, practical, physical, emotional and spiritual.
Based on this assessment and meaningful conversations with an ICJ Link Worker, a support plan will be created to ensure the person affected by cancer is offered all the support they need.
Patients can be referred into the service through a self-referral form or via a professional referral. Both referral forms, alongside further information, can be found on the ICJ page of the NHS Orkney website.
The referral forms can be filled in online and sent to ork.icj@nhs.scot.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the ICJ service, please don't hesitate to get in touch the team. They are happy to support in any way they can. They can be contacted by:
- Email: ork.icj@nhs.scot
- Phone: 01856 888084 (Public Health Department)
