Help us keep our Breast Care Nurses

[Guest user]

Ive been on my own with the whole cancer journey and my BCN became someone of safety where my fears and hysteria could be heard without judgement. She would answer queries, help with practical problems and even speak on my behalf when other agencies were involved.
Her thoughtfulness has encouraged me to join her to help run a cancer support group once a month. Her colleagues have been very supportive too and always open to speak with. They make time for you so that you can leave their interaction feeling more whole.
(However, my first BCN was quite aloof, so maybe it does depend on their innate personality!)
I wish there were more people like this in the NHS to support patients with other cancers and other diagnoses!
The close support is not always evident in other areas of nursing! I'm not sure why!

The support here on the helpline has been brilliant too. I think it is a truly wonderful service that exists for us. I'm sure all women benefit from this care but when you're alone with it the BCNs and the helpline people at BCC do offer such an invaluable lifeline!

Welsh girl says a huge THANK YOU. xx

[Guest user]

Hi

Slightly off topic but I am interested by those people who say they could not have coped without the BCN's help and I'm wondering what the BCN's did or said that has made such a difference.

What makes a good BCN? Why are they worth keeping?

Best

Jane x

[Guest user]

You might also be interested in what the Royal College of Nursing is doing to celebrate Nurses' Day on 12 May...

http://nursesday.rcn.org.uk/

[Guest user]

Hi moorcow

It's true that specialist nurses are important more widely, and we will also be contributing to more general campaigns, like the RCN's Frontline First campaign (http://frontlinefirst.rcn.org.uk/). You can see the list of organisations supporting the Frontline First campaign (including Breast Cancer Care) here http://frontlinefirst.rcn.org.uk/sites/frontlinefirst/index.php/supporting-organisations - they cover a wide range of health conditions, all concerned about losing specialist nursing posts.

Unfortunately, not everyone (outside this forum) understands why breast care nurses are important, and that's why we're doing this piece of work specifically, so we can gather that evidence and that support to add to wider campaigns, as well as to raise the profile of breast care nurses so people can see how important they are.

I hope that explains what we're trying to do a bit better. We appreciate any support you are able to offer.

best wishes
Leah

[moorcow]

Think I'm going to explore a petition for keeping specialist nurses for all cancers not just us,
Nicola

[Guest user]

Thanks everyone for your support. If you can tell your friends/family about it too, that would be great.
Leah

[Anthi]

OK - done and thank you for telling us about this.
Best wishes - Anthi

[Guest user]

Done and Huge Thank Yous to you all!!
xx

[lella]

Done. Thank you for bringing this to my notice - was not aware of it. Don't know how I would cope without the support of my wonderful BC nurse.

[judyduddy]

Done x

[cupoftea]

Signed.

[Bunny3]

Done x

[Radley]

Done x

[Guest user]

Done,

[Guest user]

just done

x

[elinda45]

Done x

[Guest user]

done and sent the link to facebook so my friends can campaign too x

[Shelley61]

Thanks for the link - I've ticked too! xxx

[Lulu34]

iv done it too and posted the link in my FB page x

[AvenueSue_]

Done
My BCN has been brilliant. Very understanding,organised and knowledgeable. I don't think Breast Units would be effective without them.

[Guest user]

I couldn't have managed without mine. I know she did a lot of work behind the scenes too, making sure the various specialists worked together, appointments got booked, treatments ordered etc.

Jan

[charhie]

me too.
Annie
x

[Guest user]

Me too!! Don't know how I'd have managed without my BCN.

[lizcat]

Done x

[JulieD]

Yes also done and like Juliet highlighted need for secondary support too!
Julie x

[juliet66]

done..

Said we need more not less, particularly for secondary cancer.

Julie

[hope4444]

Ticked.

[cornishgirl]

Have signed !

Linda x

[Lemongrove]

Well done Breast Cancer Care. Have just signed, and of course we need specialist nurses.
On a slightly different, but related note, I have the feeling that the Government are going to do a clumsy bit of back peddling over GP Commissioners. I suspect they are now beginning to see how much opposition there is.

[rossco]

Have signed in the ones I deal with are superb and always ready
to listen and offer good advice

[Guest user]

Absolutely YES - my BCN is invaluble, I'd feel abandoned if it weren't for her and I was stuck with the "cutters".

[stressy_messy]

Ticked
Don't know what I would of done without my BCN when I was first diagnosed 3 years ago and now for my lymphoedema.We have 3 at our local hospital and in my eyes they are invaluable.

Melxx

[Guest user]

ticked

[thistle]

Filled in. Thanks for bringing this to my notice - I had not heard about it. My nurse has been invaluable since I was diagnosed and in the past five years.

[nymeria]

I've filled it in too.

My breast care nurses have been absolutely fantastic and I feel they play an essential role when it comes to helping people deal with breast cancer and all that entails.

[Guest user]

I for one wont miss the breast care service in my area they are useless
and I think the money could be spent elsewhere in the cancer services.

[Guest user]

Thank you for raising this issue - I think it needs a high profile. A very worrying development
Fran

[finty]

Signed. This is a shocking development - glad to hear you are on the case.
finty

[Guest user]

post deleted

[Guest user]

Hi everyone

Thought you might be interested in this campaign that Breast Cancer Care is running (I've seen it mentioned on another thread already).

Breast Cancer Care has a wide network of healthcare professionals, the majority of whom are breast care nurses. We have been hearing more and more often that breast care nurses (also known as clinical nurse specialists) are being forced to limit the number of hours spent in their specialist area of work to cover for staff shortages on general wards.

We are calling for your support to help protect specialist breast care nursing posts across the country and we need examples of where these roles are being compromised.

We will present your support and evidence to the Coalition Government and other opinion-formers. We want GP groups to be encouraged to commission dedicated specialist breast cancer nursing jobs.

So far the Coalition Government has not committed to maintaining (let alone increasing) the numbers of specialist nurses (in all cancers, not just breast cancer). Instead, it will be left up to GP groups to determine how services are provided and whether or not to have specialist breast cancer nursing posts.

You can support the campaign here http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/keepourbreastcarenurses

Thanks all

Leah