Cancer services and support — Wellington, Hutt and Kapiti

The cancer support team is a team of psychologists and social workers who provide free support to you and your whānau (family), to help cope with some of the difficulties of having cancer.

What psychologists can help with

Psychologists help find ways to cope when you are feeling:

• down
• stressed
• upset
• worried.

They can also help with:

• making decisions
• coping with change and loss
• pain and low energy.

What social workers can help with

Social workers provide support to help people with difficult feelings and situations.

Social workers can talk to people about:

• work
• finances
• childcare
• transport
• planning for the future.

Social workers can help link people with community agencies, and support them to understand and get through the health system.

What to do if you have a concern not related to cancer

We are unable to see people whose issues do not relate to cancer. Your psychological or social issue must be resulting from your cancer, or having an impact on your cancer treatment.

If we cannot see you in our service, we will help you find appropriate support.

Who we see

We see:

• people who are 16 years and older who have been told they might have cancer
• people who have a new diagnosis or recurrence of cancer
• people who are having cancer treatment.

Support from whānau

Whānau can be seen with the patient.

If appropriate, and if the patient consents, we are able to see whānau without the patient present.

If whānau members require their own individual support, we will help them find appropriate support.

Te Aho o te Kahu | Cancer Control Agency

Te Aho o te Kahu | Cancer Control Agency have useful information about living well with cancer and how you and your whānau can access support.

Cancer information — Te Aho o te Kahu (external link)

Community cancer nurses are registered nurses based in the community who are experienced in cancer treatment and supportive care. They work together with the local district nurses as well as healthcare teams at the Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre and in the Hutt and Wairarapa.

Community cancer nurses can provide:

• expert advice, support and monitoring during cancer treatment
• clinical assessment and referral to other services as required
• education and liaison
• availability for whānau meetings
• advocacy within the health system.

A referral by a healthcare provider (such as a GP) is required for the cancer support service.

To be referred you must:

• be over 16 and being treated in adult services
• be receiving cancer care from within the Greater Wellington region
• have a high suspicion of cancer, or a new diagnosis or recurrence of cancer, or are undergoing treatment
• have significant psychological or social issues relating to cancer or which are impacting your cancer treatment
• agree to a referral to the cancer support team.

There are some situations where people will not be seen by the cancer support team.

These include people:

• who have not consented to a referral
• with acute mental health issues or displaying acute risk of harm to themselves or others (use the Mental Health, Addiction and Intellectual Disability Service)
• who are having private treatment only (not receiving any cancer care through Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora)
• who have finished treatment or have end-of-life support needs.

Ask your healthcare provider (such as a GP or cancer care team) for a referral for a community cancer nurse.