Supportive Care: Colorectal Nurse Specialist/Stoma Service

Receiving a diagnosis of bowel cancer can be one of the most stressful experiences you and your loved ones ever have to face. We recognise that this is a tough journey for anyone to take so when a patient comes to us for diagnosis and treatment, we aim to meet not only their care needs but also their need for understanding, support and reassurance.

Our specialist nursing team are experts in pre-operative counselling for bowel cancer patients, teaching patients how to use ileostomy and colostomy appliances and also post-operative education and counselling. They always provide a holistic approach to all of our patients.

three nurses posing for picture
0121 8123150enquiries@bowelcancerclinic.co.uk

Guidance, support and reassurance

Our colorectal nurse specialist team is here to offer guidance and support, to make sure you receive the answers to any questions you have and to provide practical assistance to help you manage your condition. They will meet up with you as soon as possible after your diagnosis to listen to your concerns and to provide information about possible investigations, treatment and surgical options.

A friendly, familiar face

Their role is to act as a consistent point of contact throughout your care, to get to know you and your loved ones and to help you understand what is happening and what is going to happen so you feel confident about your care and can make informed choices. Many of our patients tell us how important it was to see a friendly, familiar face each time they attended for treatment, including during pre-assessment and follow-up appointments. Because we work closely together as a team, your colorectal nurse specialist can feed back any concerns or anxieties you have directly to your consultant, if you wish them to do so.

Specialist stoma care

Our surgeons work towards you not needing to use a stoma, but if it is essential, then here is how it works:

For patients who undergo a colostomy or ileostomy, they are also specialist stoma nurses, providing invaluable support and reassurance to help you understand how to care for your stoma, including how to find and use the correct bags. It can be understandably upsetting for people to discover that they need to have stoma surgery and our nursing team can listen to your concerns and help you to come to terms with what is happening to you. They can support you to feel confident and comfortable and understand how you can continue to live a normal life after surgery.

Patients come with all sorts of questions, including questions about diet and exercise, working, going on holiday and having sex. We hope you will feel comfortable discussing anything that is concerning you with our friendly, helpful colorectal nurse specialists.

Supportive Care - Colorectal Nurse Specialist /Stome Services | The Bowel Cancer Clinic

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