There are a lot of different people involved in your care in the Teenage and Young Adult (TYA) service at The Christie. You can read a bit more about some of them here.
When you start your treatment at the TYA service at The Christie, we’ll assign you a key worker. This person is generally a specialist nurse.
Your key worker is your key point of contact. They will support you and your family through your treatment.
They can:
- come to clinic appointments with you,
- give you information and support about your treatment and side effects,
- speak to doctors for you,
- visit you at home,
- give information to community nursing teams about your care when necessary, and
- provide emotional and psychological support.
When you finish your treatment, your key worker will change from a nurse to a youth support coordinator. They will help you to access any further support you might need after treatment.
Depending on your treatment, you might be able to have some of your treatment closer to home. If treatment closer to home is suitable for you, one of the TYA outreach nurses will support you with this.
The Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Coordinator (YSC) team and service exists in order to provide social and emotional care to young people (aged 16 to 24) treated at The Christie, and also in designated trusts across Cheshire, Manchester, Lancashire and South Cumbria.
There is also a YSC based in the proton beam therapy centre at The Christie who will work with and support young people aged 13-24.
Through a ward and community based programme, young people are encouraged to engage in workshops, peer support groups and residential activities. The focus is on wellbeing, and the age-appropriate service allows young people to cope, adjust and continue to thrive during their treatment and beyond.
You’ll meet a number of different nurses in the TYA service at The Christie. You’ll see some of them if you come to the hospital for outpatient appointments or as an inpatient on the Palatine ward.
TYA lead nurse
The lead nurse for teenagers and young adults is responsible for the development of excellence in clinical care. It’s their job to make sure all young people across the North West can access cancer services that are appropriate for them.
The lead nurse is always keen to hear from young people and families about any experiences that happen during treatment, whether positive or negative.
You can contact the TYA lead nurse at hanna.simpson@nhs.net
Your TYA key worker
While you’re a patient in the TYA service, your key worker is usually a specialist nurse. It’s their job to help coordinate your care throughout your treatment.
Palatine Treatment Centre matron
The matron is the nurse responsible for the overall running and quality of the Palatine Treatment Centre, which includes Palatine ward and Rob’s day unit.
They are one of the senior nurses within the hospital. You can find the matron on the Palatine ward and they welcome any feedback about your experience whilst you are at The Christie.
Palatine Treatment Centre nurses
When you come to the TYA service as an inpatient, we will assign a nurse each day to looking after you and coordinate your daily care. The nursing team will try to ensure that you see the same nurse as often as possible.
If you have any worries or concerns about your treatment or day-to-day management, please ask your nurse.
The oncology and haematology social work service at The Christie is provided by Young Lives Vs Cancer. They have a social care team ready to support you, whether it’s with money, benefits or accommodation queries, emotional support or questions about living with cancer. You can message them online, chat over the phone on 0300 303 5220 or just drop them an email at getsupport@younglivesvscancer.org.uk.
Young Lives Vs Cancer's lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and online chat is Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. You can connect with other young people who’ve had a cancer diagnosis and hear their experiences and tips for dealing with it.
At The Christie, Young Lives Vs Cancer have a team of social workers with the multi-disciplinary team in the TYA service. You can refer yourself, speak with your key worker or other health professional and they can contact the team on your behalf.
As an organisation, Young Lives Vs Cancer offer support in a variety of ways to every young person up to 24 years' old who meets our eligibility criteria. This includes any young person who:
- Has received a confirmed cancer or bone marrow failure disorder diagnosis from an NHS cancer or haematology service, or have benign and low grade diagnoses which have cancer-like behaviour where there is a high burden of treatment.
- Received the diagnosis before their 25th birthday and also within the last 12 months.
- Qualifies for free NHS cancer treatment in the UK, including members of (or children of) HMS Armed Forces and diplomatic core/embassies.
Consultant
The person responsible for your overall care and treatment is your consultant. This is a highly experienced doctor that is a specialist in your type of cancer.
Your consultant will manage your treatment plan and discuss this with you and your family or carers.
You can find out more about your consultant on their consultant profile.
Some of the consultants who work in the TYA service are:
- Dr Anna Castleton - TYA lead clinician/haematologist
- Professor Adrian Bloor
- Prof Martin McCabe
- Dr Alexander Lee
- Dr Catherine McBain
- Dr Rovel Colaco
- Dr Claire Higham
- Dr Beth Phillips
- Professor Tim Illidge
- Dr Kim Linton
Other doctors in the TYA
If you come to the hospital as an inpatient and stay on Palatine ward, you will be in the care of a team of doctors. This means that more than one consultant may look after you during your treatment.
Physiotherapy helps to address physical difficulties caused by cancer and cancer treatments. This aims to maximise independence and allow people to continue the activities they enjoy. By keeping as fit and active as possible during treatment, patients can reduce the impact of cancer on their daily lives.
Physiotherapy treatment varies from person to person. It is tailored to individual needs and priorities, and may involve:
- Specific rehabilitation to optimise physical function during and after treatment
- Individualised exercise programmes to maintain or improve strength and flexibility
- Addressing any mobility problems and providing equipment if needed
- Providing advice and education on maintaining a healthy lifestyle during treatment
- Supervised use of the TYA gym
Physiotherapy is available during and after treatment, for both inpatients and outpatients.
The Teenage and Young Adult (TYA) Occupational Therapy Service at The Christie is available to young people aged 16 to 24 during or after cancer treatment. Support is available for both inpatients and outpatients, during treatment and for up to 2 years after treatment has finished.
Being diagnosed with cancer as a young person can affect many aspects of daily life, including education, work, hobbies, relationships, confidence, and independence. Our occupational therapist and therapy assistant work alongside patients to help you continue doing the things that are important to them and support them in maintaining a sense of self throughout and beyond treatment.
We provide personalised assessments and practical support to help manage the physical, emotional and cognitive effects of cancer and its treatment. This may include:
Strategies to manage symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, sleep, low mood, pain, changes in confidence and changes in concentration, memory or thinking.
Support to maintain independence in everyday activities, education, employment, hobbies and social activities.
Rehabilitation to regain skills, improve function, or find new ways of completing tasks when cancer or treatment has affected your abilities.
Equipment and home adaptations to help make everyday activities easier and support a safe discharge home from hospital.
Advice and planning to help you achieve personal goals, maintain important roles and continue participating in activities that matter to you.
Referral to community services and local support teams when ongoing support is needed closer to home.
Appointments can be offered one-to-one, in groups, or by video call, depending on the patient's needs and preferences. We can also see patients during their inpatient stay.
Our aim is to help young people maintain their independence, confidence, roles and identity, enabling them to participate fully in everyday life and achieve the best possible quality of life during and after cancer treatment.
Complementary therapies are therapeutic treatments used alongside conventional medicine. They may assist with comfort, help with relaxation and distract from the side effects of hospital treatment.
They include guidance with self-help techniques to a simple essential oil massage. They are available for all teenagers and young adults and those supporting them in the hospital or as outpatients. Complementary therapists will be happy to discuss with patients what treatments are safe and suitable for them.