Cancer patients in Jersey will be able to access specialist advice on everything from money and benefits to employment and housing as part of a new support service.
Macmillan Jersey has teamed up with Citizens Advice Jersey for a six-month pilot after finding that practical problems can become overwhelming for Islanders following a cancer diagnosis.
Under the scheme, a dedicated Citizens Advice caseworker will be based at The Oasis, Macmillan Jersey’s Cancer Support Centre, three days a week.
Patients needing practical help can be referred directly through Macmillan Jersey’s Holistic Needs Assessment service, which was introduced two years ago in partnership with Health and Community Services.
The assessments look beyond medical treatment to identify concerns ranging from physical and emotional wellbeing to finances, employment and family life.
Macmillan Jersey said its experience had shown that problems which might previously have been manageable could become much harder to deal with alongside the emotional, physical and financial pressures of cancer.
Chief executive Steph Gibaut said: “Practical concerns such as finances, employment, housing and benefits can have a significant impact in addition to the diagnosis itself.
“This partnership with Citizens Advice Jersey allows us to respond to those needs in a coordinated way, ensuring patients receive the right support at the right time.”
Citizens Advice Jersey said a cancer diagnosis could suddenly create uncertainty around “work, income, housing, benefits and family life” at a time when patients should be able to focus on their treatment and wellbeing.
Practical concerns such as finances, employment, housing and benefits can have a significant impact in addition to the diagnosis itself
macmillan ceo steph gibaut
“As an independent charity… every day we see how practical problems can quickly become overwhelming, particularly when they are compounded by illness,” the team explained. “By bringing our Caseworkers into The Oasis, we are making it easier for people to access expert, independent advice in a trusted environment, without having to navigate another service at what is often one of the most difficult times in their lives.”
They added that, by working with Macmillan Jersey, the hope is to “remove some of the practical pressures that so often accompany cancer, giving people greater confidence, stability and the support they need to move forward”.
Pre-booked appointments will be available at The Oasis, with patients who require longer-term assistance continuing to receive support through Citizens Advice Jersey’s wider service.
The pilot will run until December, with referrals, outcomes and patient feedback monitored to help determine how the service could develop in future.
