The lung cancer nurse specialists work as part of the wider team which will support you if you have lung cancer.
The nursing team will act as your main point of contact. These are senior nurses who have lots of experience in different areas. This includes critical care, palliative care and oncology.
The lung cancer nurse role includes:
Support for you and your family throughout your journey
Discussing concerns and answering any questions you may have
Coordination of your care and treatment
Providing advice for managing symptoms
Providing information on lung cancer and treatments
Providing benefits advice and referral to benefits services
Referral to other healthcare professionals as necessary
Signposting to support services
Andrea Worsdale
Respiratory clinical nurse
Manager / lead
Lung cancer nurse
Julie Long
Senior lung cancer nurse specialist
Sam Nicholson
Senior lung cancer nurse specialist
Lucy Ward
Senior lung cancer nurse specialist
Jeanette Raine
Lung cancer nurse specialist
Jen Watson
Lung cancer nurse specialist
Toni Wight
Lung cancer nurse specialist
Amy Nielsen
Lung cancer nurse specialist
Adele Stubbs
Lung cancer nurse specialist
Joanna Wilson
Lung cancer nurse specialist
Helen Wallace
Lung cancer / mesothelioma nurse specialist
Leah Taylor
Lead mesothelioma clinical nurse specialist
Emma Payne
ILD nurse specialist
Lora Tumilty
Lung cancer screening coordinator
Other services provided by the lung cancer nursing team:
Your care may include the offer of follow-up in the lung cancer nursing clinic.
Care is managed in the same way as doctor-led follow-up. Monitoring your lung cancer will take place with the same tests such as CT scans or chest x-rays.
Follow-up can also be by phone or using the digital DrDoctor system.
Some people are found to have small abnormalities in their lungs which are not cancer. As there is a risk cancer could develop, these need to be monitored.
The lung cancer nursing team arranges scans. They will then discuss your results and whether any more tests are needed.
Prehabilitation is an important part of the cancer pathway. It can help you prepare for your treatment by promoting healthy behaviours and improving your overall health.
These are face-to-face appointments. We will ask you a series of questions, discuss your needs, quitting smoking, eating and diet. We will also ask you to do a sit to stand test for 30 seconds.
Virtual wards provide hospital-level care in the comfort of your own home.
Here at Northumbria, if you are a patient of our virtual ward, you can expect the same safe and effective care as we provide in our hospitals.
Various healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, therapists and pharmacists, may visit you at your home to provide treatments, carry out tests and assessments, or check on your condition.
You may also have online or telephone appointments and consultations.
In certain cases, you may be given special equipment so that you can be monitored remotely by our teams.
Lung cancer screening helps find problems early. This is often before you notice anything is wrong. It means treatment could be simpler and more successful. This will help save more lives.
This programme is for people aged 55 to 74 who smoke or used to smoke. You must be registered with a Northumberland or North Tyneside GP.
People of this age who have smoked are at greater risk of lung cancer. It's rare that an issue is found. But if it is, we can act quickly and offer treatment.
You will get a letter inviting you for your check if you are eligible.
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer in the lining of some of the organs in the body. This includes the lungs, abdomen (stomach), heart and testes.
Mesothelioma almost always occurs because of exposure to asbestos. The North East, particularly North Tyneside, has a long industrial history. This means a higher rate of mesothelioma than other parts of the UK.
Most cases occur in the lining of the lung, known as the pleura. Mesothelioma is not a lung cancer, but usually managed by lung cancer teams. This is because it affects the lungs and the team's understanding of the disease.
Being diagnosed with a rare disease can lead to extra challenges. In our lung cancer team, there are two mesothelioma clinical nurse specialists. They form part of a team of 30 mesothelioma nurses across the UK.
They work as part of the wider team which will support you if you have mesothelioma. They will be your main point of contact in the team.
The mesothelioma nurse role includes:
Support for you and your family throughout your journey
Discussing concerns and answering any questions you may have
Coordination of your care and treatment
Providing advice for managing symptoms
Providing information on mesothelioma, treatments and clinical trials
Providing benefits advice and referral to specialist mesothelioma benefits services
Providing information on the industrial nature of mesothelioma and the right to compensation
Referral to other healthcare professionals as necessary
Signposting to support services
Funding for the mesothelioma clinical nurse specialist posts is provided by Mesothelioma UK.
