A day in the life of a Cancer Care Coordinator

Leeds GP Confederation’s Cancer Screening & Awareness Programme, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, aims to tackle health inequalities across the region by encouraging more people to take part in cancer screening.

The programme focuses on the eight Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in areas of the city with the highest levels of deprivation.

As part of the programme, each of the eight PCNs across Leeds have appointed ‘Cancer Care Coordinators’ who help support people across the city to take part in screening.

To find out more about their work we asked Claire Nanyonga, Cancer Care Coordinator in Middleton & Hunslet PCN, about her role, and why programmes like this are so important.

Becoming a Cancer Care Coordinator is very personal, as I know what it is like for someone who is reluctant to come for their screening.

I had been ignoring my cervical screening appointment invitations for more than a year. I then got worrying symptoms that persisted for a long time, so, I took the bold step of making an appointment. As fate would have it, results showed I had pre-cancerous grade 3 Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) cells.

I had a colposcopy procedure to treat the cells and was relieved when I received negative results showing that the cells had been dealt with before they became cancerous.

When I saw the advert for this role, I was sure there were many like me who were ignoring their screening invitations, and I just wanted to help them so they can get screened before getting symptoms, as this can be very unsettling.

Being able to support one of my GP practices identify gaps in contacting people who don’t attend their screening. Some of these people had not been contacted in almost a year and on messaging them, a good number responded by booking appointments.

Screening helps prevent and detect cancer early! Therefore, getting more people screened means having fewer people developing cancer and increasing the survival rate of those with cancer, as most cancers are treatable if detected early.

Armley is already a deprived area with residents dealing with so many other socio-economic issues, so if there is a reduction in cancer it would result in more years of good health for our patients, and of course happier families as cancer affects the entire community.

ATTEND YOUR SCREENING APPOINTMENTS! It’s simple, easy, free and you can go with someone if you like. Don’t carry the burden of the unknown!

Emma Jacob, Communications Officer

Yorkshire Cancer Research

Tel: 07903225991

Email: emma.jacob@ycr.org.uk