Protest over fears for future of cancer service

A protest has taken place amid concerns over the future of a counselling service for people diagnosed with cancer.

The Unite union claimed 15 clinical psychologist jobs face being cut at the East Midlands Cancer Alliance.

Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across the region insisted the counselling would not stop and would instead be taken up by "cancer services locally".

But the union warned mental health services elsewhere in the region could not add cancer care to their existing workloads.

The alliance offers services from "diagnosis to post-treatment", but the union said the service had been decommissioned and would become part of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust from the end of March.

It added that union members had been told they faced redundancy or being "redeployed into alternative roles".

Jon Dale, who represents Unite in the East Midlands, said: "It's an award-winning service.

"It's recognised in the top 2% in England in its results and cancer patients across the East Midlands will suffer if this service is cut back."

Addressing plans to provide the support through local services, he added: "We have members working in mental health services elsewhere in the region who know they cannot add cancer care on top of their existing workload."

Dale added that it was "an absolute scandal" that skilled psychologists, who work across the region, could lose their jobs.

The protest was held on Thursday outside the Council House in Derby, where the Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board is based.

In a joint statement, the East Midlands integrated care boards said the counselling services would not be stopped.

It added: "We are introducing a change in the provider of this important level four psychosocial support.

"It is important to assure people that this change in provider results in no cessation or change to the scope of the service, access to it or the quality of the service offered."

The statement said the service had, until now, been provided by the EMCA Cancer Psychology Service, based at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

"We are grateful to the team for the quality of provision and commitment they have delivered," the statement said.

"The movement in providers will beneficially mean that the level four element of cancer care will now be integrated into cancer services locally, rather than require referral out to a separate service.

"Any patients who have already started their treatment with NHT will complete it with them, prioritising their personal continuity of care and patient experience."

The ICBs have not responded to requests for comment on claims 15 clinical psychologist roles are to be cut.

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