Life can be tough when you are living with cancer or even after treatment ends. No one should have to face these feelings alone. Help to Overcome Problems Effectively (HOPE) can help you to get more out of life.
What is HOPE?
HOPE is a licensed programme developed by Coventry University and Macmillan Cancer Support to help people who have had/or have cancer to get on with their lives.
It is an interactive, group based, self management support course, which runs for 6 weeks, with each weekly session lasting 2.5 hours. It is for groups of between 6 and 12 and is free to attend.
The sessions are run by trained HOPE facilitators who are either health or social care professionals or trained volunteers who have had a cancer experience.
Who is it for?
Adults, aged 18 and over, who are coming to the end of treatment/surgery or have recently completed it. Anyone living with and beyond cancer.
How will the course benefit you?
The course concentrates on focusing and rediscovering your inner strengths and resilience to help you cope emotionally, psychologically and practically. Time is spent in facilitated discussions, group activities, information sharing and tools for you to try at home in between each session. The course deals with:
Goal setting and action planning
Stress management (e.g. mindfulness and relaxation)
Identifying your strengths
Healthy lifestyles (e.g. eating more healthily and physical activity
Fear of cancer recurrence
Body image and sexuality and intimacy
Communication skills
If you would like to book onto a course or would like to know more about HOPE, please contact: 01522 573799 or email, macmillan.infosupport@ulh.nhs.uk.
Lincolnshire Recovery College
The Lincolnshire Recovery College offers free educational short bite-sized sessions/courses on mental health and wellbeing, to anyone aged 16+.
Are you finding life challenging or supporting someone who is? Do you want to learn from people with real life experience of mental health challenges, as well as education and health professionals? If so, the Lincolnshire Recovery College could be for you.
All sessions are free of charge and are held online via Microsoft Teams and in-person at a variety of locations and venues across the county. There is no referral needed, as individuals can choose the sessions that they want to attend and register using the online form.
For information on upcoming courses, locations and additional information, click here.
Contact: 01522 309333 or email, lpft.recoverycollegefamilyhubs@nhs.net.
Psycho-oncology Support
The Lincolnshire Psycho-oncology Service is a specialist service which provides psychological therapy for adults with cancer diagnosis. The teams aim is to support adults experiencing emotional difficulties during their cancer treatment.
The service is available for adults who are receiving support from cancer services in Lincolnshire and is provided via one-to-one therapy sessions, either face-to-face or via video call.
What can I expect?
Individuals will attend a specialist assessment appointment where they can discuss their individual needs, goals for therapy and begin to develop a collaborative understanding of what brought them to therapy.
Treatment includes a range of evidence-based psychological approaches - these will be discussed with you.
Through these treatment sessions the team offer individuals time to talk about the emotional and physical impact of having cancer, helping them to manage any difficulties and supporting them to try out new ways to manage difficult emotions (such as anxiety and low mood) and stress.
Contact
Referrals can be accessed via discussion with the individuals Cancer Nurse Specialist.
The Lincolnshire Talking Therapies Long Term Conditions service provides support for adults diagnosed with a long-term health condition, including cancer who are struggling with their mental health.
A cancer diagnosis can affect the emotional health of patients, families, and caregivers. This team of experienced and qualified professionals will work with people to help them to understand their mood problems and show them new ways of coping. The team can support with a variety of concerns including low mood, worries, stress, depression, anxiety, and difficulty coping. Working on these problems can help to improve overall wellbeing and quality of life.
Service users will get the opportunity to talk about their difficulties in a confidential and non-judgemental environment. They will then receive an individually tailored treatment package to help. Eligible individuals will be Lincolnshire residents over the age of 16 years old.
Self-Referral form
If you feel that you would like to access talking therapies you don't need to make an appointment with your GP or healthcare professional. You can self-refer to our service by:
Please note that Lincolnshire Talking Therapies is for mild to moderate mental health problems and cannot provide an urgent/emergency service. If you feel you are at risk of harming yourself, or someone else please contact your GP, attend the nearest A&E department or call 999 as a matter of urgency.
The Butterfly Therapy Service
The Butterfly Therapy Service recognises that it can be difficult to share emotions, thoughts, and feelings with individuals closest loved ones, especially during difficult times.
The team offers a personalised therapy service where individuals living with cancer or experiencing bereavement can receive professional one-to-one support.
The service has a team of qualified therapists, who are trained to listen, offer emotional support, and explore various coping strategies based on individual needs. Sessions are available by phone, video call, face-to-face or group support, and all offer a safe, calm, and secure environment.
To be eligible for the service individuals must be over 18 years old, be living with cancer or experiencing bereavement and live in Boston or towns and villages within Southeast Lincolnshire. Referrals can be made by the individual or be accessed with a Cancer Nurse or GP.
Night Light Cafés are safe spaces that offer an out-of-hours, non-clinical support service and are staffed by teams of trained volunteers who are available to listen. They can also provide signposting advice and information on other organisations that may be able to help with specific needs, such as debt advice or emergency food parcels.
The St Barnabas team can help patients, their families, friends, and carers by offering counselling to those living with a life-limiting or terminal illness.
Emotional or psychological distress, increased anxiety and worry is not uncommon among people affected by life-limiting or terminal illness. Talking about one’s thoughts and feelings in a safe and sensitive way with a trained counsellor can help. The service therefore offers free one-to-one counselling to the patients of St Barnabas. They understand that a diagnosis such as cancer affects not just the person with the condition, so the team also provide counselling to family, friends, and carers.
Eligible individuals must have a palliative diagnosis and be living in Lincolnshire.
Contact: 01522 518246, or email, counselling.services@stbarnabashospice.co.uk.
Don't Lose Hope Bourne is a community-based support service located in Lincolnshire, dedicated to assisting individuals experiencing emotional distress, mental health issues, or crisis situations. This service aims to provide a safe and supportive environment for those seeking help and guidance during difficult times.
Don't Lose Hope Bourne operates through a network of trained volunteers and mental health professionals who provide a range of support services. The service includes one-on-one emotional support, crisis intervention, and practical assistance in navigating mental health resources. Clients can access support through face-to-face meetings, phone calls, or online consultations.
All services provided by Don't Lose Hope Bourne are free of charge to individuals seeking support.
The service is available to residents of Bourne and the surrounding areas who are experiencing emotional distress or mental health challenges. There are no specific age or demographic restrictions, making it accessible to all members of the community. Individuals seeking support can self-refer or be referred by healthcare professionals, family members, or friends.
Florence Telehealth or Flo for short, is a simple and easy to use text messaging service that helps individuals manage their health and wellbeing. Flo has been designed to provide tailored support, enabling individuals to have an active role in their health. Flo's approaches are based on NHS approved resources and principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, enabling individuals to access personalised health tips, valuable advice to help them stay on track, factual information and more from the comfort of their own home.
How can Flo help me?
Once set up, Flo will send text messages about an aspect of the individuals health, in which they would like to improve.
This could include: Low mood, Anxiety, Sleep, Nausea or Fatigue.
Depending on what Flo is helping the individual manage, it may ask the individual to send some information or suggest they try various 5-minute exercises, but each suggestion is optional.
Would Flo cost me anything?
No. If an individual is receiving messages from Flo, or replying to it from the UK, they will not be charged for the messages – Flo can even be used if the individual is on a pay-as-you-go phone with no credit.
How do I sign up to Flo?
Signing up to Flo is easy.
Choose one of the concerns below and text the code to 07860 093094.
ANXIETYHELP
LOWMOODHELP
SLEEPHELP
FATIGUEHELP
PAINHELP
NAUSEAHELP
Florence will then text guide the person through a minute long induction, in which it will request some simple information such as name and date of birth. Following this Flo is set up and the programme will start in 7 days time.
Social Prescribing aims to support individuals in improving their health and well-being by connecting them with community-based services and activities. Social prescribing provides an alternative to traditional medical interventions by addressing social, emotional, and practical challenges. It connects people with their community and can improve their wellbeing and quality of life.
Through Social Prescribing individuals can access opportunities to engage in social groups, volunteer projects, and hobby-based activities to reduce isolation. They can also access health and wellness information and guidance on accessing exercise programmes, mindfulness sessions, mental health resources and support with behaviour changes such as improving diet, or quitting smoking. The team can also signpost to financial advice, housing support, and employment services and provide resources and connections to aid families and caregivers in their roles.
Individuals can access the service by a referral from their GP practice, their medical team, or they can make a self-referral via the website. The team welcome referrals from all Lincolnshire residents, over 18 years old, who feel they would benefit from support in building community relationships or who feel lonely or isolated.
The Shine Community Connectors are trusted individuals, dedicated to empowering individuals and families through holistic support and connection. They provide resources, guidance, and services that address the diverse needs of their community. Their mission is to foster resilience, promote well-being, and strengthen the bonds within the local community.
The team offer:
Guidance to individuals on available community resources, including housing assistance, food security, healthcare, and financial aid.
Information on community support and activities including groups, peer support, and one-on-one connections. Workshops on life skills, career development, and wellness to encourage personal growth and empowerment.
Advocacy for the individuals needs while connecting them with specialised professionals and organisations for additional support.
Any individual living in Lincolnshire can be supported by the Connectors and is free of charge.
Single Point of Access: 0303 123 4000 (24 hours a day)
You can also present at your local Accident and Emergency Department if you are unable to keep yourself safe or if you have self-harmed and require medical attention.
Lincolnshire Wellbeing Hubs
The Lincolnshire Wellbeing Hubs offer a variety of support and activities, further information about these can be found by visiting HAY Lincolnshire. Alternatively visit the resources below.
