Dr Katharine Hodgkinson, Prof Fran Boyle AM and Amanda O’Reilly were excited to receive funding from The Friends of The Mater Foundation to provide education and training to help health professionals care for patient’s emotional needs.
We know that undergoing cancer care can be tough physically and emotionally, and research consistently identifies high rates of anxiety and depression in those undergoing treatment, as well for carers and loved ones. All health professionals who are involved in the care of patients in any capacity need to support patients’ emotional wellbeing to help them achieve the best quality of life possible and ensure their experience of treatment is the best it can be. Health professionals require up-to-date education and skills to provide the very best care as they can make a difference: a large evidence base demonstrates that psychological interventions are effective in reducing distress for patients in both the short and longer term. Sadly, research in Australia has found that many patients feel that their emotional distress is often not identified or underestimated by staff in busy cancer units, and many do not receive the emotional care they need.
The funding received will be used to deliver professional development skills training to front-line medical staff, oncology nurses and allied health staff who all have such a critical role in supporting patients and their loved ones. Training will help staff to sensitively identify and respond to emotional concerns as well as refer to support services if more help is needed. Training will also help staff look after their own self-care so they can provide the best care each day to others. The training supports the compassionate and individualised care for the mind, body and spirit for those receiving cancer care at the Mater Hospital North Sydney. More information about The Friends of the Mater and the Mater Hospital’s cancer care services can be found at: https://www.thefriendsofthemater.com.au/ and https://www.mns.org.au/our-services/list-of-services/cancer-care.
