If you are worried you have cancer, our clinical team are available to assess and organise initial tests and referrals to specialist if need be.

If diagnosis of cancer is made, many challenges and stresses  can follow that can cause understandable worry and uncertainty. 

Below are we have collated useful information, links and local resources to help support you and friends/famiy if you have been recently diagnosed with or currently living with cancer.

Below there are links to:

• Macmillans Cancer support  
• Maggies
• Cancer Support Scotland
• Edinburgh Cancer Centre (ECC)
• Cancer Navigation Hub

Our Clinical team at Bangholm are also here to help after been diagnosed with cancer.

We can help advice, support and provide treatments to help manage some of the symptoms or complications associated with cancer such as; pain, nausea, insomnia and mental health issues. 

Macmillan Cancer Support has some excellent and comprehensive information for people who have been recently diagnosed with cancer, including information on investigations and treatment. They also provide practical, financial and emotional support for sufferers and/or friends, family or carers looking after someone with cancer. They also provide information on end of life and bereavement support. Support Line : 0808 808 00 00

The Lothian Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) is a Link Worker support service run by Macmillan Support and NHS lothian. The group aims to support people with a cancer diagnosis and their family or carers, focusing on mainly non-clinical issues.

Here are just some of the things they can offer support with;
• Money or housing issues
• Work
• Caring responsibilities
• Physical concerns
• Emotional concerns

Link workers will offer a supportive conversation about 'what matters most’ and focus on areas identified that may need extra support or advice. Link workers will be able to sign-post or refer to appropriate local services and support networks
See this link for more information.

To contact the service please call or email the team on contact details below.

Telephone: 07977 307 286 or 07929 784 315
Email: loth.icj@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Appointments are arranged usually within 10 working days

There is also a Drop-in clinic at the pilton community health project (PCHP) on the first tuesday of the month in sept/oct in 2024 12-2pm  . For more details please call 0131 551 1671 or email hello@pchp.org.uk.

Maggies offers excellent local Edinburgh support and wellbeing services  for people living with cancer. The can speak on the phone or meet face-to-face.

Tel number: 0131 537 3131

email edinburgh@maggies.org

address: Maggie's Edinburgh , The Stables, Western General Hospital,

Crewe Road , Edinburgh EH4 2XU

Please click on the adjacent link for more information.

NHS lothian offer various specialists clinics in Edinburgh that GPs can refer to for further urgent assessment if we suspect cancer might be a possiblity. 

The Oncology Department are specifically located at the Western General Hospital. The team is slightly different in that they receive referral from GP's but more likely from other hospital specialities when further support and management of a cancer is needed.

Oncologists offer speciality advice and support on anti-cancer treatments like chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy. They also provide management of some of the complications related to cancer like spread of cancers,  blood abnormalities and side effects related to some of the cancer treatments.

The team are made up of oncologists , physiotherapists, nurses, and nurse specialists and they offer routine clinics as well as acute services if there is a sudden deterioration or complication with a cancer condition.

The Cancer Navigation Hub has been developed to answer calls from patients covering all cancer related enquiries. The team is made up of Cancer Pathway Coordinators.

It  has been designed to help patients navigate their way through, what can often be, complex cancer pathways. Calls will be directed to the most appropriate care team(s) including the cancer treatment helpline, clinical nurse specialist teams, treatment day units, and will act as a link to introduce patients to external agencies such as Macmillan (Improving the Cancer Journey) and Maggie’s for non-health related cancer support.

Cancer Pathway Coordinators are trained to help patients with a variety of enquiries such as checking and rearranging appointments, scheduling of treatments, transport enquiries, and accessing interpretation and translation services.

The Cancer Navigation Hub can be accessed by calling 0300 123 1600 (Monday – Friday 9am-5pm*)

As a national charity dedicated to supporting the wellbeing of those affected by cancer across Scotland. They are passionate about providing free holistic care and support  of the wellbeing of cancer sufferers. 

They provide information on:

• self-help and wellbeing support
• councelling therapy
• complementary therapy
• stress management
• befriending support
• Group support
• Mindfullness Sessions

Support Number: 0800 652 4531

Click on the adjacent link to view their website and find out more information