​Charity calls for every patient to have their needs assessed

Thousands of Scots who’ve been diagnosed with cancer are unable to eat, wash or get out the house on their own a new report has revealed.

Macmillan Cancer Support’s new Hidden at Home report found people are struggling to cope with basic day to day tasks.

Of 130,000 people who’ve had a cancer diagnosis in the last 10 years the charity estimated 100,000 are struggling to cope with basic day to day tasks.

Almost half of patients are either completely unable to get in and out of bed, move around or use transport alone. A similar number are unable to do practical tasks such as prepare and eat food, or do grocery shopping or housework by themselves.

One in four are unable to carry out personal care routines such as bathing, dressing or going to the toilet by themselves and over a fifth with caring responsibilities for children or other relatives said they could no either longer carry them out at all or needed a lot of support.

Cancer is often seen as a medical problem solved by surgery or drugs, but this research shows the problems it brings can no longer be solved within hospital walls

The charity has called for every cancer patient in Scotland to receive an assessment of their needs and a care plan that sets out how they’ll get all the support they need.

Macmillan’s head in Scotland, Janice Preston, said: “It’s heartbreaking to think that there are cancer patients struggling to feed or wash themselves who aren’t getting the support they desperately need.

“Cancer is often seen as a medical problem solved by surgery or drugs, but this research shows the problems it brings can no longer be solved within hospital walls.

“As people live longer with cancer, health and social care services must work much more closely together to provide joined up care.”

Assessments are already being carried out in some parts of Scotland and the charity says they’re helping patients get the support they need.

According to the report 85% of those who need help relied on family and friends for help, and for half of those in need of support this was their only source of help.

Macmillan is also urging the 32 new health and social care boards, being set up on April 1, to make joined up care for cancer patients one of their top priorities.

One woman who thinks patients must be offered more help is East Kilbride woman Helen Thewliss, 65.

Helen said: “I had to rely a lot on my friends and family to help me clean the house and I lived on ready meals or frozen meals from my family because I was too tired to cook.

“I was made redundant and had to spend most of the money putting in a walk in shower because I couldn’t get into the bath. I had problems getting about on my own, I had financial problems and I had emotional problems.

“Someone did give me a number for a breast care nurse but I didn’t call to ask for help because I just felt that it would be ungrateful. My life had been saved and I felt like it was up to me now to just get on with things.

“It would be such a good idea if someone sat you down and asked what help you needed and pointed you in the right direction.”