We have four Clinical Nurse Specialists at the NGOC Queen Elizabeth Hospital. These nurses have specialist knowledge and experience in gynaecological cancer to support you.
The clinical nurse specialist is often what is known as your CNS or keyworker. A Clinical Nurse Specialist/keyworker is available to everyone who has been diagnosed with, or who is suspected to have a gynaecological cancer.
There will be many different health care professionals involved in caring for you and your keyworker acts as a link person between them throughout your care.
Sometimes patients never need to see or contact a Clinical Nurse Specialist/ keyworker as their needs are being met by other health care staff but patients often feel that having a designated contact person is helpful.
What types of support can a Clinical Nurse Specialist provide?
Clinical Nurse Specialists are interested in the holistic care of their patients. Holistic care means caring for the person as a whole- not just their physical concerns. Clinical Nurse Specialists care for the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of their patients. They can help with the following:
• Helping you to understand and clarify things that are discussed during medical consultations.
• Helping you to understand tests, investigations and procedures.
• Performing holistic needs assessments to better understand your needs or concerns.
• Providing emotional support for both you and the people who support you.
• Helping you to understand your options for treatment.
• Advice about how to manage symptoms or side effects that you may be having.
• Advice about financial concerns and referral on to other support services that can help.
• Support with any questions that you may have around fertility, menopause, sexual difficulties and body image.
• Referrals for support at home.
• Referrals to other agencies, for example support groups, complementary therapies, lymphoedema services and counselling services.
How can I contact a Clinical Nurse Specialist?
You may have already been given the contact details for a Clinical Nurse Specialist/keyworker at your local hospital and they will remain available to you for support throughout your care.
If you are attending appointments and/or having treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital you will also have access to the Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) whilst you are receiving care here. The CNS team at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital are unable to routinely contact all patients who come through our service, therefore if you need to speak with a member of the CNS team you can do so using the details below:
The Clinical Nurse Specialists work office hours: Monday-Friday 08.30-16.30 (excluding bank holidays).
Yvonne Anderson
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Telephone: (0191) 445 2123
Helen Manderville
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Telephone: (0191) 445 3404
Julie Dodds
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Telephone: (0191) 445 6706
Laura Clifford
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Telephone (0191) 445 6140
The CNS team may not always be available to answer your calls. If there is not a CNS available to answer your call, please contact your consultant secretary, they are always happy to take messages and the CNS will call you back when they can. You can also contact us by email on [email protected]
If you have any questions about your appointments or results of investigations, please contact your consultants secretary, visit the main page for contact details.
Unfortunately, the CNS team at QEH do not provide an emergency service and if urgent clinical advice is required please contact your GP, 111 or your local A & E department. If you have had recent surgery you can also contact ward 26 for advice.
Macmillan Cancer support lines are also to provide emotional support and advice, available 7 days a week (8-8pm) telephone: 0808 808 0000.
You can also contact your Gynaecology Clinical nurse specialist from your local Hospital:
Cumbria:
Julie Thomas- (01228) 814 217
Whitehaven:
Lisa Lowe- 0777 073 8552
Durham:
Amy Brown- 07909957414
Newcastle:
RVI:CNS team- (0191) 213 8338 Gemma Roth/Nicola Cosford
Freeman- Sarah Curry- (0191) 23I38338
South Tyneside:
Berni Cardy- (0191) 202 2178
Sunderland:
Robyn Lynch- (0191) 565 6256
Wansbeck / North Tyneside:
CNS team- (01670) 564 292
Susan Richardson/Debbie Thomas/Lynsey Cramman
Cheryl Riches (CCC)
James Cook:
CNS team- 01642282418
Jane McNeil, Pamela Shield & Lynne Wright
Darlington Memorial:
Suzanne Coverdale 07971895345
UHNT & Hartlepool:
CNS team 01642 624081