Piloting a new role to manage late effects

Winter 2012

Unfortunately, most cancer treatments have some adverse effects, and sometimes these problems will not emerge until much later.

These late effects are not always linked to the treatment, and are often not diagnosed and treated properly. In some cases, patients are told that late effects are ‘the price you pay for cure’ and subsequently ignored.

To address these issues, the Survivorship Project Team at the Christie Hospital| in Manchester is testing a new role called the Late Effects Coordinator. This role will be responsible for assessing and managing care for people presenting with late effects across all disease groups. It will be tested over the next two years.

The project forms part of a wider programme of work based at the Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which includes: redefining cancer survivorship pathways; investigating innovative approaches to follow-up; exploring new, long-term care planning tools and approaches to delivering patient information; and improving communication between healthcare professionals.

The programme, which runs until the start of 2014, is led by Dr Wendy Makin, Associate Medical Director, and the project team includes Macmillan Project Manager Ben Heyworth, Administator Martine Tempest-Mitchell, and Alison Waltho, Late Effects Coordinator. The team is supported by Macmillan Development Manager Julie Atkin-Ward. This project is one of three new initiatives focusing on late effects of treatment. Look out for more in the next edition of Mac Voice.

More information 

Email Ben Heyworth.|