New collaboration to improve turn-around time for pancreatic cancer counselling appointments

In a new collaboration, NIPANC has partnered with Cancer Focus NI to improve the turn-around time for counselling appointments and enhance existing services to patients and their families in NI facing a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Susan Cooke Trustee of NIPANC said: “This will be very welcome news to some of the 280 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in NI each year. It’s so important given this type of cancer and prognosis, support can be accessed quickly. We want to give people a safe space to talk about their concerns, cope better and make decisions and find comfort during difficult times. NIPANC can now directly refer patients in addition to the already established pathways.”

Speaking about NIPANC’s funding, Pat McClelland, Director of Services at Cancer Focus NI said: “For over 15-years, our charity has provided quality emotional and psychological support to local pancreatic cancer patients. This success has been in part, down to our well-established formal referral pathways across health trusts and primary care settings.

“Due to the nature of pancreatic cancer, we have been prioritising patients to ensure they are given access to support quickly. This funding from NIPANC is much appreciated and will help shorten the timeframe for the betterment of local people living with pancreatic cancer.”

The service can be accessed by contacting support@nipanc.org, care@cancerfocusni.org and through Clinical Nurse Specialists in your local Trust area.