The ‘Help for Professionals’ symptom help sheet series was revised from previous work completed by London Cancer Alliance and coproduced by members of the Personalised Care and Rehabilitation Community of Practice and subject matter experts in SE London.
This resource has been designed to help professionals navigate cancer symptoms with their patients and includes considerations and questions to ask the patient and suggestions for onward referrals and signposting.
It is suitable for all healthcare professionals who see patients with cancer.
To download this helpsheet, click here.
Our partners at Guy's & St Thomas' have created a Cancer Related Fatigue education module to help patients, their friends and family to manage and reduce fatigue including some practical tips, guidance, and exercises.
To access the Cancer Related Fatigue Module, click here.
To download this symptom helpsheet click here.
To download this helpsheet, click here.
Proactive management of lymphoedema is important. Please refer patients to the following resources while they await their appointment.
- UK NHS Lymphoedema Network Wales specialists and patients have created a collection of 13 short films to help you understand and manage your lymphoedema.
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Cancer Wellbeing London have produced a series of videos demonstrating exercises for patients with lymphoedema.
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LymphConnect is an online platform to help patients manage their lymphoedema and link with other patients for support.
- The Lymphoedema Support Network (LSN) https://www.lymphoedema.org/ provides comprehensive information for patients, offering guidance on treatment, self-management, common questions, and support groups.
If you would like to learn more about lymphoedema, please see Guy's Cancer Academy Lymphoedema webinar here or visit North East London Cancer Alliance page for a comprehensive list of information.
SEL Lymphoedema Services by borough are listed below:
Bexley:
Accepts cancer related and non cancer related conditions.
T: 02033197623
Bromley:
Accepts cancer related and non cancer related conditions.
T: 03003305777
Greenwich:
Accepts cancer related and non cancer related conditions.
E: oxl-tr.greenwichlymph@nhs.net
GSTT:
Accepts cancer related only, requiring cancer diagnosis with a GP in a Lambeth, Southwark or Lewisham and/or recieved all or part of their cancer care at GSTT.
E: gst-tr.lymphoedemagstt.nhs.net
Lewisham:
Accepts cancer related and non cancer related conditions.
What is social prescribing and when can it be useful?
People affected by cancer have wider issues than can be solved with clinical treatments alone. For example, we might see people who have been experiencing loneliness or facing practical financial worries.
Social prescribing is a really valuable way for primary care to:• support people affected by cancer to manage their needs;• bring benefits to their health;• and, provide all of this in a way that is most appropriate for them.
The impact of life circumstances such as housing, employment, and environment on people's health and recovery from illness is well known. What is new, is that we now have models of care that can join up the different services to support people, enabling us to try and meet their non-clinical needs. Social prescribing is a central part of the drive towards personalised care, which aims to help professionals to consider all the factors affecting a person's health. This enables people to have more control over their own health and care, managing their needs in a way that suits them.
As this is a new service within the NHS, many practitioners will not yet be familiar with social prescribing services and their potential, and the sort of situations in which they can help. Therefore, this short resource from Guy's Cancer Academy provides a comprehensive but concise, overview of the what, why and how of social prescribing in your context.
People living with cancer have varied needs and cancer can affect all aspects of life, from relationships to work or finance. Cancer can have a huge emotional impact on the individual and those around them.
Social prescribing is now available in all areas of south east London enabling people to access help with facing difficulties close to home.
Contact details vary by area. In Bexley, Greenwich, Lambeth, and Lewisham referral can be made directly to the SP team. In other areas referrals must be done via GP services.
Bexley
Community Connect is the Bexley service in which Community Wellbeing Co-ordinators can help you to find support for issues outside of the usual care that your GP or nurse may be able to provide. Community Connect accept self referrals via e mail or phone, or can offer advice to professionals about local services which they may want to signpost patients to. Please visit the website here.
Greenwich
The Live Well Greenwich line is a free helpline staffed by local, trained health and wellbeing advisors for signposting and support to live well. Tel: 0800 470 4831. Monday–Thursday, 8.30am–7.30pm; Friday, 8.30am–5.30pm; Saturday, 9am–12 noon. A message can be left outside of these hours. For more information about services to signpost to please visit here.
Lambeth
If you are a professional, please visit AgeUK Lambeth or email info@ageuklambeth.org for advice before making a referral that requires an immediate or urgent response. If someone needs urgent support please advise them to make contact over the phone: 0333 360 3700, Monday–Friday, 9.30am–4.30pm (excluding bank holidays). If you are a patient, you can self refer to Connect Lambeth by calling 0333 360 3700 or to find out more, visit their website here.
Lewisham
Community Connections Lewisham is a Social Prescribing service, run by Age UK Lewisham and Southwark. To get in touch call 0330 058 3464, Monday to Friday, 9.30am-4pm (*except on Thursdays when we are open from 2-4pm only) for Lewisham residents, or people registered to a Lewisham GP, over the age of 18. If you are a patient you can self refer to Community Connections Lewisham by visiting their website here.
Bromley
Visit Bromley Well's website or Tel. 0808 278 7898, Monday–Saturday, 9am–5pm. You can find more information here.
Southwark
North: Quay Health Solutions, Monday–Friday, 9am-5pm, Contact qhs.socialprescribing@nhs.net or for more information, visit their website here.
South: Improving Health Limited, Monday–Friday, 9am-5pm, Contact ih.socialprescribers@nhs.net or for more information, visit their website here.
For patients moving towards survivorship guidelines and prioritising overall health, weight management is an important consideration. Encouraging a healthy weight and regular activity enhances strength, reduces fatigue, and helps lower risks of heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers or cancer recurrence.
We have co-produced symptom help sheets for professionals with subject matter experts in South East London which can be found here and includes information on maintaining a healthy weight.
For patients currently undergoing active cancer treatment with specific nutritional needs, specialised dietary guidance is recommended. Please refer to your local nutrition and dietetic service.
NHS England also offer a free weight management programme for NHS Staff, if you are a NHS employee and would like to know more please visit NHS England » Digital weight management programme for NHS staff
