Enhanced supportive care
This leaflet provides information about enhanced supportive care for people who have cancer.
What is supportive care?
Supportive care helps people who have cancer. This includes during cancer treatment and after the treatment has finished.
Supportive care focuses on managing any problems caused by cancer or its treatment.
About Enhanced Supportive Care (ESC)
ESC was developed by specialists at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester. It is a new service designed to make sure that you have better access to specialists in supportive care.
ESC provides positive and individualised care for patients who are living with cancer.
The focus is on supporting you through your treatment, after treatment has ended and when cancer treatment is not possible.
ESC is provided in Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust by the Palliative Care and Oncology teams.
The teams are specifically trained to manage the problems caused by cancer or cancer treatments. They work together with pain management experts, dieticians, psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and benefits advisors to provide the best possible treatment.
The ESC team consists of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals.
The ESC team can talk to you about how you are coping, what is important to you when deciding on the treatments available and your goals and plans for the future.
Ask any of your doctors or your clinical nurse specialist to refer you to the ESC team.
Does ESC work?
Research shows that early access to supportive care can help patients to feel better, including during any cancer treatment.
ESC has also been shown to prevent problems from getting worse and helps to keep people at home rather than in hospital.
When can I start ESC?
ESC is available to you at any stage but would usually start shortly after your cancer has been diagnosed.
How will ESC help me?
ESC specialists can:
- Treat pain and problems caused by your cancer or cancer treatment
- Help to improve or resolve troublesome symptoms
- Provide practical advice and support
ESC specialists will:
- Work jointly with your oncology team, GP and clinical nurse specialist
- See you at an early stage
- Help to plan your future care