The Christie Charity
The senior adult oncology service is an outpatient service to support older people with cancer.
Older people with cancer can have poorer outcomes compared with those who are younger. Older people are also more likely to have health conditions other than cancer. The Christie has funded this new service to improve care, treatment, and experience for older people with cancer.
Who is in the senior adult oncology service?
The senior adult oncology service is a team of specialists at The Christie. We are a multidisciplinary team, including:
- consultant physician (doctor) specialising in medicine for older people
- specialist general practitioner (GP)
- oncologist
- clinical nurse specialist
- physiotherapist
- pharmacist
- occupational therapist
- dietician
Our team has 2 main aims:
- To help people make decisions about cancer care and treatment that are right for them
- To support people through cancer treatment.
What does the senior adult oncology service offer?
In the senior adult oncology service, we mainly work with older people, although we can support younger people who have complex health conditions.
The support we offer includes:
- looking at your overall health, including other health conditions you may have as well as cancer
- looking at the medicines you are taking at the moment
- looking at your mobility and physical strength, and how we can support you with your day-to-day life
- looking at your risk of falling, and how we might be able to lower the risk
- looking at any memory issues you might have
- looking at your diet and appetite, and helping you to manage any problems
- help with managing symptoms or side effects of cancer or treatment, such as tiredness and low mood
The support we offer will depend on your individual needs.
How can I see the senior adult oncology service team?
If you and your oncology team feel that the senior adult oncology service team could help you, your oncology team can refer you. You can also contact the team via this email address: the-christie.saoteam@nhs.net and we will be happy to answer your questions.