Macmillan Nurse Specialists

Paediatric Oncology Nurse Specialist Team

We are a team of nurses who have specialist knowledge and experience in children’s cancer nursing and symptom control. We work as part of the multi disciplinary team looking after children and young people with cancer and their families. Based at the Leeds Children’s Hospital we work both in the hospital and the community.

What are our aims?

Enhance and co-ordinate care
Support care delivery as close to home as possible
Support children, young people and their families throughout the cancer journey and beyond.
Promote a return to life after cancer treatment
Provide the link between the different specialities, services and settings of care that children, young people and their families may need.

Who do we see?

Children and young people with cancer come to the Leeds Children’s Hospital for diagnosis and treatment from across east, west and north Yorkshire.

Every child or young person aged 0-16 being treated for cancer is offered the support of a paediatric oncology nurse specialist. This nurse will usually be the key worker for each individual family - who your key worker is in the team will depend on where you live.

What do we do?

We aim to introduce ourselves to you and your child within two weeks of diagnosis. We provide information and support to you, your child and the family at all stages of the illness and discuss your child and families needs and develop plans to help support these. We act as a link between the hospital and home, working closely with all the professionals involved in your child’s care, to ensure co-ordination of care and good communication.

How can we help?

Having a child who has cancer can have a big impact on the life of your whole family.

We can:

Carry out home visits to talk to you about the treatment your child will have.
Offer emotional support to you, your child and the family.
Visit your child’s school to talk to teachers and classmates, to help your child settle back into school.
Give specialist teaching and support to other professionals involved in your child’s care.
Provide telephone support and advice to you, your child and healthcare professionals.
Give advice about managing cancer symptoms and side-effects of treatment.
Provide support and advice after discharge to help you, your child and your family to re-adjust to family life during and after treatment.
Palliative care and symptom management

How to contact us

The service is available: Monday to Friday 8.00 am – 6.00 pm.

We can be contacted on: 0113 3922323

An answer phone is in operation to take any message should we be unavailable. We aim to respond to any messages the same day, however this may be the next working day.

A member of the team is hospital based Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm. If you need to speak to a nurse specialist urgently please contact either the day care unit and outpatient clinic or the inpatient wards and ask them to contact the nurse of the day.