Calls to expand ‘vital’ nurse-led helpline for cancer patients

Irish Cancer Society chief executive Averil Power said the helpline is a “vital service”.

She said the Acute Oncology Nursing Service gives patients “direct access to the cancer unit at their treating hospital”.

It is a vital service that can spare most cancer patients the distress and infection risk of having to go through busy emergency departments to get urgent care.”

However, current funding covers 29 nurses across the 26 cancer treatment sites in HSE hospitals, with hours limited to between 8am and 4pm, Mondays to Fridays.

Ms Power said this could be an issue particularly in the sites with one nurse.

“There is no service in the evenings or at weekends or when the nurse is on leave.

“The Irish Cancer Society called for funding in Budget 2024 to make this service 24/7 and we are urging the minister for health to revisit this.”

This is particularly important during winter as it could help to “reduce distress for cancer patients and lessen the pressure on our emergency departments”.

Emergency department avoidance

National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) clinical lead for cancer nursing Terry Hanan said the service supports emergency department avoidance.

“In a lot of cases, a patient is given advice and they take that advice and they don’t have to come near an emergency department,” said Ms Hanan.

“Whereas before that service was available, you could literally be travelling from Malin Head down to Letterkenny ED, waiting for four hours, getting sicker while you’re there, being extremely vulnerable while you’re there.”

She said the NCCP has been working with the Department of Health and raised the need for funding to support each site having two nurses.

“We met with them, and one of the acute oncology nurses from Limerick presented the figures around her August activity.”

The data, relating to University Hospital Limerick, showed 160 patients called in a month.

“Of those, 48 had to go into the hospital; 37 of those were discharged and 11 were admitted,” said Ms Hanan.

“It’s a really clear snapshot; without the service, all of those 160 would have had to go in through the ED.”

Cancer survivor Mary Gardiner relied on the University Hospital Kerry helpline during her recent treatment.

The Cork woman described her nurse, Mairead, as “an angel without wings”.

“It is very daunting when you are diagnosed with cancer, you are questioning everything — is this normal, what can I do,” said Ms Gardiner.

“I have to say, with Mairead, I was able to pick up the phone, text her any time. Cancer is such a frightening thing, but this was a great comfort to me and for my family.”

Ms Gardiner said the service changed their experience of cancer treatment.