Cancer Support Team

The Community Cancer Support Team is responsible for providing oncological (cancer) care and support closer to patients homes in North Staffordshire.

A small team of five oncology (cancer) trained nurses work in the community in and out of hours providing care to patients who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

The team provide physical, psychological, social and spiritual support to patients and their carers and/ or family in their own home during treatment.  Patients can contact the team at any time to arrange a visit or for advice, support and management of the side effects of chemotherapy. This support also helps identify when a patient may require admission to hospital for further treatment and also helps reduce the number of inappropriate admissions to hospital.

The team also run community oncology clinics in four areas across North Staffordshire at Fenton and Smallthorne Health Centres and at Bradwell and Cheadle Hospitals .  This service supports patients who are able to receive their chemotherapy via a special intravenous drip which allows them to walk around as normal while receiving treatment.  Once the chemotherapy drugs have been administered the patient attends a clinic close to their home, where the drip is disconnected.

The service works closely with a variety of other local NHS cancer and support services and voluntary cancer agencies and hospices in Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire.