A large team of specialists is responsible for your care during diagnosis and treatment for Head and Neck Cancer. This team includes:
- Consultant Surgeons
- Oncologists
- Dentists
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS)
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Dietitians
- Clinical Support Workers
Your Care Team
Head and Neck Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
The CNS can provide support and information to people with a cancer diagnosis, their families and carers. Their aim is to support you from the point of diagnosis, throughout your investigations, treatment and ongoing follow up.
A cancer diagnosis can be very upsetting and frightening for you and your loved ones. We are available to listen to you about your feelings, worries and concerns and try to support you and answer any questions you may have. We are also available to discuss your diagnosis and treatment plan with you and your loved ones and help you to understand what is happening at each stage of your care.
You will normally meet the CNS at the outpatient appointment when you are given your diagnosis. If for any reason they are unavailable, the consultant will provide you with their contact details.
We are based in the hospital and will usually be available at all of your outpatient appointments. We are also available for telephone support or can see you face to face in the nurse led clinic.
The Clinical Support Worker can undertake a Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA) to help identify what concerns are most important to you. They can provide you with emotional support and can also help with practical things such as referral for benefits, blue badge, wheelchairs or hospital transport.
Treatment for head and neck cancer can have an impact on your teeth. If you are having major surgery, you may meet the Specialist Restorative Dentist prior to your surgery to enable them to carry out a comprehensive assessment to aid planning of things such as dental implants.
All patients who undergo radiotherapy will definitely see the dentist prior to treatment. This is different from your own dentist. The aim of this is to thoroughly assess your teeth and how they may be affected by the treatment. Often teeth need to be removed prior to radiotherapy as there are risks associated with having teeth removed afterwards.
After treatment, you will continue to see the Restorative Dentist as they will help provide you with dentures or implants if possible.
Your initial appointment will be held at the Dental Hospital in Glasgow, however your follow up appointments after treatment will usually be in Forth Valley.
Head and Neck Cancer can affect both your speech and your swallow. A Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) can help you with both of these problems.
You may need input from SLT prior to your treatment commencing if you are already having problems with your speech and/or swallow, however in most cases you will meet them after your treatment.
SLT’s are also highly skilled at helping our patients who have undergone either a laryngectomy or tracheostomy. They can advise on equipment and are skilled at changing speaking valves.
Head and Neck Cancer can make eating and drinking more difficult and a Dietitian can support you with this. They will see you before, during, and after treatment to help with your nutrition. The Dietitian gives advice on how to manage eating difficulties to ensure you get the right nutrients. This may be through changes to the food you are eating or you may need high calorie drinks which the Dietitian can arrange for you. Some people may also need a feeding tube. The Dietitian will support you for as long as needed.
Whilst the ENT CNS is not a cancer nurse specialist, they are very highly skilled nurses in all aspects of Ear, Nose and Throat nursing and can often be an excellent resource for dealing with certain symptoms. They are also experienced in caring for patients with altered airways such as laryngectomies or tracheostomies which for a small group of patients are the result of head and neck cancer. The ENT nurse is capable of assessing and changing a laryngectomy voice prosthesis. If your Head and Neck CNS feels that you would benefit from input from the ENT CNS they will arrange this for you.
Where Will I Have My Treatment?
If you are having surgery, this may be in Forth Valley, Monklands or Glasgow Hospitals. Your team will guide you as to which hospital you will be likely to attend.
If you are having radiotherapy or chemotherapy, this happens in the Beatson Hospital in Glasgow
After Treatment
Following completion of your treatment for Head and Neck Cancer, you will be followed up closely for 5 years. Your follow up appointments will usually be in Forth Valley, however in some cases if you have been under the care of a specialist in Glasgow, they may wish to follow you up there.
You should expect a follow up appointment with your consultant 6 weeks after finishing treatment. You will be invited to the nurse led clinic to be reviewed by your CNS prior to this, you can also have access to the dietitian and/or speech and language therapist if required.
You should expect to have clinic appointments with the Head and Neck team at the following intervals over the next 5 years. These appointments will consist of a clinical examination of the head and neck and if required, a fibreoptic nasendoscopy
Follow-Up Schedule
- Years 1 – 2: Every 2 – 3 months
- Years 3 – 5: Every 3 – 6 months
- End of Year 5: Discharge
Appointments are generated automatically. If you haven’t received one, contact your CNS.
Who Should I Contact If I Have a Problem?
The CNS should be your first point of contact with any issues or questions you have. They are available Monday – Friday (with the exception of public holidays), however often spend long periods of time out of the office at outpatient clinics or on the ward therefore it is essential you leave a message on their answer machine and they will get back to you. The CNS will always endeavour to return your call as soon as possible however due to work commitments this may sometimes take up to 48 hours therefore please do not leave any very urgent messages.
For urgent help, contact:
If your issue is better suited to another team member (e.g. SLT, Dietitian, GP), your CNS will guide you.
Contact CNS
- Phone: 01324 566334 (answer machine available)
- Email: fv.headandneckcns@nhs.scot
Available Monday to Friday, 08:30 – 16:30 (excluding public holidays).
