Nursing shortage leaves terminal breast cancer patients ‘abandoned’

According to cancer Breast Cancer Care, thousands of terminal breast cancer patients are being denied specialist nursing care, and that almost three quarters of UK NHS trusts are currently not providing dedicated nurses.

This comes despite a government statement three years ago that it was ‘committed to increasing the capacity’ of specialist cancer nurses and promising that all cancer patients would have access to a designated nurse by 2020.

Following this news, the charity’s chief executive Samia al Qadhi, said “Our staggering figures reveal just how much NHS nursing care for people with incurable breast cancer has stagnated.

“After this life-changing diagnosis, patients continue to be abandoned without ongoing specialist support they need to manage complex treatment and debilitating side effects, like chronic pain and fatigue.”

There are currently around 35,000 people with advanced breast cancer and each year it is estimated that around 11,500 die from the disease. Life expectancy varies, but as more people are living longer following a diagnosis, specialist care is now even more important.

Ms al Qadhi went on to say “People living with incurable breast cancer tell us that access to a specialist nurse is the single most important aspect of their care and without it they feel isolated, forgotten and invisible.

“So today’s failings must not be swept under the carpet. We are calling on the government to create a secondary support package for incurable breast cancer.”

A spokesperson from the NHS responded by saying “Everyone with cancer is unique and patients themselves say their experience of being looked after is getting better every year – which makes sense as your chance of surviving cancer is now at its highest ever.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Paralegal, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (karenmotley@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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