£181 blood cancer stat lays bare why UK needs change for 91% of patients | UK | News
Blood cancers are the most common type of cancer that affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK and the third biggest cause of cancer deaths. Unlike solid tumors, blood cancers cannot surgically. They usually require sudden, aggressive treatment that can lead to long -term side effects, such as infertility and other health problems. The effect of this is not only physically, but also emotionally, psychologically and financially.
Only leukemia affects more than 60,000 people in the UK. In Lösemiia UK, we hear daily hidden costs, corrupted careers and a weak immune system from patients who encounter emotional wages of living. Many patients who are diagnosed with chronic leukemia are placed in “watch and wait” plans and remain unclear when or when they need to start treatment. This uncertainty significantly affects people’s mental welfare and quality of life.
The financial load encountered by people with leukemia is equally sharp, compared to £ 120 for a patient with breast cancer or £ 52 for prostate cancer. This includes additional use of home heating to keep the food costs associated with expert diets and the side effects of treatment side effects.
In addition, approximately 65% of patients are forced to reduce their working hours or completely stop working, as the elegant nature of leukemia therapy has an elegant nature. This is because many leukemia patients should immediately start chemotherapy, whereas solid cancers can start with lighter treatments if they are usually caught early.
In spite of these effects, we found that only 9% of people with leukemia have been proposed to a holistic need assessment (HNA). This simple but powerful tool helps to define the physical, emotional and practical needs of the patient.
HNA is a simple survey completed by a person affected by cancer. It allows patients to emphasize the most important problems that they think they are most important for them or probably the most important problems. A leukemia should be performed by the Specialist Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS).
The results are then guided by a specialist nurse or expert key employee to develop a care and support plan to ensure that these needs are handled.
During the cancer experience of the patient, multiple assessments should be made during and after active treatment. Considering that physical and psychological loads often continue or deteriorate beyond the completion of treatment.
We are proud to support the Daily Express campaign that all cancer patients should be offered a holistic needs assessment, so that they can have a personal care plan that is holistic and recognizes the mental effect of cancer diagnosis and treatment.
This is also something we call to appeal to leukemia patients, especially in the upcoming national cancer plan, and enables everyone with leukemia to be offered an HNA during and after treatment.
We allow the government to recognize the unique needs of leukemia patients and to take this opportunity to close the existing gaps and to provide leukemia patients to provide the resources they need so desperately.
