Macmillan Support Line open 7 days a week
If you are worried about money, work or treatment, or you just want to speak about whatever matters to you, Macmillan Support Line will listen and support. They offer guidance and help you find the right information and support in your area.
https://www.macmillan.org.uk/support-line.html

Access to Information and Support preparing for treatment
We know that starting treatment for cancer isn’t easy. To help you prepare, Macmillan Support have information about the different types of treatment, what to expect, the options available to you and how to cope.
https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatment

Psychological impact of a cancer diagnosis
We know that psychological distress is a common and understandable response to a diagnosis of cancer.

A whole range of factors can contribute to this distress and how this impacts on you. In some cases anxiety or depression is severe enough to warrant specialist psychology input. For the majority of people however,  they are able to use a variety of resources to cope. These include:

• Your own inner emotional resources
• Talking to your family, friends, peer networks
• Guidance of trusted healthcare professionals
• Getting help from specialist cancer charities and organisations locally and nationally

The last two possible support actions might be something we can help you with. See our advice below:

Specialist support available here at the hospital
Psychologists work with a full range and severity of psychological and mental health difficulties associated with cancer. Although we do not have a dedicated psycho oncology team at this time at Airedale we do have a General Medical Psychology department that accepts oncology referrals. We are a specialist service providing therapy support to help people deal with the psychological and emotional impact of a physical health condition and/or its treatment. We offer short short-term (4-8 sessions) evidence based interventions. Our palliative care psychologist is available to address end of life issues and provides clinical supervision to our Clinical Nurse Specialists and Allied Health professionals who work in Oncology.

Other support available locally
Your GP can refer you or you can refer yourself directly to an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme on 0300 555 5551. Our local IAPT service is called MyWellbeingCollege. You can get advice on psychological treatments such as counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, and guided self-help for common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

Useful contact numbers for Mental Health Services in the district are:

• Bradford District Care Trust – 01274 228300 (Main reception)
• First Response -0800 952 1181
• Community Mental Health Team
• Bradford Cancer Support –  (there is a centre in Skipton as well)  01274 776688
• RELATE – 01535 605047

Other support  available nationally
Maggies provides support on managing emotions for anyone with cancer and their family and friends, whatever kind of cancer, and whatever stage they are at  https://www.maggies.org/cancer-support/managing-emotions/

Cancer Research UK provides some helpful guidance on dealing with fear, anxiety and panic at https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/emotionally/cancer-and-your-emotions/fear-anxiety-panic/managing-fear-anxiety-panic

A Holistic Needs Assessment can help you identify and address the needs and concerns of people living with cancer to develop a Personalised Care and Support Plan.There is lots of information and advice about how to do one and make the most use of it by clicking on this Holistic needs assessment link here.

Useful leaflets to download