Understanding healthcare as a young carer

Benefits advisers are sometimes called welfare rights advisers. They help people get payments from the government. These payments are called benefits. Benefits advisers can also help you apply for grants from other organisations and charities.

A clinical nurse specialist gives information about a cancer type and support during treatment. They may also be your keyworker. A keyworker keeps in touch with you and the person you care for. They are your main point of contact and can help answer your questions.

A community nurse supports people at home. They are also called district nurses. They can give the person you look after medication and provide other nursing care.

A counsellor is someone that you or the person you look after can speak to about your feelings and worries. They are trained to listen to people talk about their problems. They can help you find ways to cope.

A dietitian is someone who gives information and advice about food and food supplements.

A doctor is a trained medical expert. You may meet some of these doctors:

• Consultant – an expert doctor. They are in charge when the person you look after is treated in hospital. A consultant has a team of doctors working with them.
• GP (General Practitioner) – a local doctor who treats people for general medical conditions. You may know this person already. They can help when the person you look after is out of hospital. You can also talk to them about any problems you have.
• Haematologist – a doctor who diagnoses and treats blood disorders and cancers.
• Oncologist – a doctor who treats people who have cancer.
• Pathologist – a doctor who looks at cells or body tissue under a microscope to diagnose cancer.
• Radiologist – a doctor who looks at scans and x-rays to diagnose problems.
• Surgeon – a doctor who does operations (surgery).
• Medical student – someone who is training to become a doctor. They may come around with the qualified doctors who are treating the person you look after in hospital. This helps them learn about what happens.
• Palliative care doctor – a doctor who helps with symptom control and end-of-life care, if needed.

A healthcare assistant supports the medical staff and patients in hospital. They work under the supervision of nurses or other health professionals. Healthcare assistants help care for people who are unwell and give information to them and their families.

An occupational therapist is someone who gives information, support and practical aids to help people with everyday tasks, such as washing and dressing.

A palliative care nurse helps with symptom control and end-of-life care. They also give emotional, social and spiritual support to people who are unwell and their families.

A pharmacist gives out medicine and can explain how to take it.

A phlebotomist is someone trained to take blood samples.

A physiotherapist can help the person you look after with walking or moving around, if they have problems with this.

A psychologist can help you manage your feelings and behaviours, if you are finding it hard to cope. They can also help the person with cancer deal with their emotions.

A radiographer plans and gives radiotherapy to destroy cancer cells. They also support people during radiotherapy treatment.

A social worker can help you and your family sort out practical and financial problems.

A ward nurse makes sure the person you look after is cared for in hospital. They give them any regular treatments that are needed.

A youth support coordinator can arrange activities and help young people stay active and social during and after treatment. They are funded by the Teenage Cancer Trust. You may meet them if you look after a brother, sister or young family member.

A youth worker provides support and social activities for young people and helps them to achieve their goals. They can support young people living with cancer or young people looking after someone with cancer.

A young carer worker is specially trained to support young carers and their families. They may do different things in each area. Most will work with you and your family to make your caring role more manageable. In some areas, a young carer worker does the young carer’s assessment to find out your needs.

Below is a sample of the sources used in our information for young carers. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at  cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk

Carers Trust. www.carers.org (accessed April 2020).

Carers UK. www.carersuk.org (accessed April 2020).

The Children’s Society. www.childrenssociety.org.uk (accessed April 2020).

Mind. www.mind.org.uk (accessed April 2020).

NHS. Being a young carer: your rights. Available from www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/support-and-benefits-for-carers/being-a-young-carer-your-rights (accessed April 2020).

This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer. It has been approved by Chief Medical Editor, Professor Tim Iveson, Consultant Medical Oncologist.

Our cancer information has been awarded the PIF TICK. Created by the Patient Information Forum, this quality mark shows we meet PIF’s 10 criteria for trustworthy health information.