Living with and Beyond Cancer: Upper Gastrointestinal Directory of Services v2
Living with and Beyond Cancer: Upper Gastrointestinal Directory of Services
Patient Information
Upper Gastrointestinal
- Author ID: LM
- Leaflet Ref: CC 055
- Version: 2
- Leaflet title: Living with and Beyond Cancer: Upper GI Directory of Services
- Date Produced: August 2025
- Expiry Date: August 2027
Introduction
We have created this comprehensive directory with you in mind, to provide you with an overview of some of the many services providing support to people who have been affected by cancer.
We hope that this directory will assist you with navigating the health and social care system, which can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing.
Please note this is not an exhaustive list of services that are available to you, but we have identified relevant services that may be useful to you throughout your cancer journey.
There is additional space for you to include others that you may hear about.
For your convenience, we have separated the contacts into categories, with a brief description of what each service offers.
Many of the services will accept a self-referral, but if you are unsure, please don’t hesitate to contact the Macmillan Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Service and we will be happy to assist you with your query.
Medical Teams | ||
Upper Gastrointestinal Clinical Nurse Specialist Team (Upper GI CNS Team) |
01942 773459 |
Outside of these hours, please contact your GP, district nurse or, in an emergency, go to the Emergency Department or call 999. |
District Nurses |
0300 707 7700 | Monday- Friday 08:00-17:00 |
District Nurses Out of Hours |
0300 707 1266 | After 17:00 until 08:00 |
GP (please use for your own GP contact details) | ||
GP Out of Hours |
01942 482848 / 111 |
Call from 6.30pm until 10.00pm weekdays, and between 8.00am and 8.00pm on Saturday, Sundays & Bank Holidays. |
Emergency |
999 | In case of a life-threatening emergency, please call 999. |
Dietitian | |
| Wigan Specialist Macmillan Community Dietitian Rebecca Halsall |
01942 525566 |
Salford Royal Oesopgaho-gastric specialist Dietitians |
0161 206 4255 |
Christie Dietitians | Contact via Christie switchboard: 0161 446 3000 |
Treatment Centre Contacts | |
| Upper GI CNS Team Salford Royal |
0161 206 5062 |
Upper GI CNS Team Christie |
0161 9561073/ 0161 918 7368 |
| Oncology Secretaries- The Christie | Dr Radhakrishna’s Secretary - Maria Moran 0161 446 8200
Dr Sheikh’s Secretary- Caroline Clarke- 0161 446 3223
Dr Waddell’s Secretary- Angela Wright- 0161 918 7217 |
| Surgical Secretaries - Salford Royal |
0161 206 5472 |
Useful contacts to help you live life as fully as you can with a cancer diagnosis.
Health and Wellbeing | ||
Macmillan Allied Health Professional Team (AHP) |
01942 525566
| The Macmillan AHP Team provide a detailed specialist multidisciplinary assessment of an individual's daily life. This may include questions about mobility, washing and dressing, communication, swallowing or nutrition. The team is made up of physiotherapist, occupational therapist, dietitians and Speech and Language therapists. |
BeWell |
01942 488481 | The Long-Term Conditions team aims to support health and wellbeing. All activities last around 60 minutes and prices start from £3.80. The specialist instructors provide support during the sessions and stay in regular contact with you. |
Talking Therapies |
0161 271 0190 | Wigan Talking Therapies offers free NHS therapy for people registered with a Wigan GP with common mental health problems like anxiety or low mood, to help you change the way you feel, by changing the way you think. |
Healthy Routes |
01942 836967
| Healthy Routes is your path to a healthier lifestyle- it provides support and advice on exercise and weight management, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, and health and wellbeing |
Look Good Feel Better |
0161 4468100 / 0161 4468107
| Maggie’s Centre offers the Look Good, Feel Better and Colour Me Beautiful services to promote self-esteem. These services aim to help you cope with the impact of changes to your body image, such as hair loss due to treatment. |
Maggie’s- The Christie |
| The Maggie’s Centre provides practical, emotional and social support for people with cancer and their families and friends in the Gtr. Manchester area. |
Macmillan Information Centre Wigan Infirmary |
01942 822760 | Support centre offering free and confidential information and support in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Services include counselling, benefits advice, self-help and practical support, courses and workshops |
| The Hair Company | https://www.thehaircompanystandish.com/hair-loss-services | Offers hair loss services, Wig making and subsidised appointments for clients growing back their hair following cancer treatment. |
Financial & Welfare | ||
Macmillan Benefits Advisor | 01942 822760 | Provides advice and practical support to patients, their carers and family members, on a range of issues such as benefit entitlement, debt, housing, employment, travel costs etc., as well as information about other sources of financial help available to people affected by cancer. |
Citizens Advice Bureau Wigan Borough
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| Provides free, confidential, independent, and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. |
Department of Work & Pensions |
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Offers help if you're living with a health condition or disability.
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Wigan Council |
www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Benefit-Grants/Welfare-Reform/Local-Welfare-Support.aspx
| Wigan Local Welfare Support offers free, confidential advice and support on a range of benefits. Provides help with completing claim forms, and guidance and support when making appeals. |
Travel | ||
Macmillan Information Centre | 01942 822760 | Up to date information about travel insurance for those living with a cancer diagnosis. |
Patient Transport Service (PTS) | General Enquiries- 03451120999
Make a booking- 0300 7070 737 (Mon-Fri: 08:00-16:00)
| The Patient Transport Service is a non-emergency service for people who may need special support getting to and from their healthcare appointments. |
We are Driven |
01942 409602
| Driven is a charitable door-to- door transport scheme supporting vulnerable and isolated people in the Wigan Borough. |
Service personnel | ||
SSSAFA |
| SSAFA helps the armed forces community, focusing on providing direct support to individuals in need of physical or emotional care. |
Royal British Legion |
| The Royal British Legion supports military personnel and their families, provides expert advice and guidance, from recovery and rehabilitation, through to transitioning to civilian life. |
For more information, visit www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/practically/financial-support/grants/ex-services-organisations | ||
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Pensioners Link |
| Pensioners Link is a registered charity supporting over 50’s with finance, friendships, disabilities, emotions, well-being, learning and social activities. Also, it supports people to live happy, sociable lives and reach their full potential. |
Community Link Workers |
www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Health-Social-Care/Adults/fit-and-well/Community-link-workers.aspx | A Community Link Worker is a member of the GP Surgery Team; it provides advice and support on many social issues that may be affecting your health and wellbeing. They have a wide range of knowledge on local services and community-based groups and activities |
Age UK |
01942 615880
| Age UK has a local charity for people in Wigan aged 50+ to improve the quality of their lives. The Service tackles current problems, such as financial worries, social isolation and loneliness, offering support to maintain independence. |
Meals on Wheels service |
| Hot and cold meals delivered to the door. Offers a wide range of meals including special diets. |
Carers Support | ||
Wigan & Leigh Carers Centre |
| Wigan and Leigh Carers Centre represents carers, and raises awareness of caring, working with local communities, organisations and service providers, to build a ‘carer-friendly’ Wigan. |
Carers UK |
| Carers UK aims to make life better for carers. The Service provides information and advice on caring. It helps carers connect with each other, and campaigns with carers for lasting change. |
Macmillan Information Centre | 01942 822760 | If you’re affected by cancer, the Macmillan Information and Support Centre can offer you high quality information and support in a relaxed, comfortable environment. Carers support group available. |
Spiritual/ Religious Support | ||
Hospital Chaplain Wigan & Leigh |
| The Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Department supports the pastoral, emotional, spiritual and religious well-being of all those whose lives brings them in contact with the Trust. |
Maggie’s Centre |
0161 641 4848 www.maggies.org/cancer-support/managing-emotions/spirituality-and-cancer | Having cancer can make us think about the bigger things in life, and this may include searching for meaning, questioning things or being angry. Maggie’s Centre provides help, information and support. |
Black, Asian and Ethnic Minorities | ||
Black Women Rising The Leanne Pero Foundation |
| Offers emotional support and information to women of colour diagnosed or living with cancer. |
NHS BME Network |
07941 698 248
| Independent network, giving a voice to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) people, including NHS staff, patients, service users and carers, helping with access to better and more appropriate healthcare, as well as providing an opportunity to bring about change in the NHS. |
Cancer Education UK |
0203 811 8270
| This charity is aimed at ethnic minorities living with cancer, including their loved ones and carers. It aims to drive positive change through education, so that everyone has equal access to the healthcare and support they need. Services include helplines, complementary therapies, educational resources and awareness events. |
LGBTQ+ | ||
LGBTQI+ Cancer Support Group |
020 3904 3448 | Online support group in partnership with ‘Live Through This’ for anyone in the LGBTIQ+ community, including their loved ones and carers, who have been affected by cancer. The group gives people the opportunity to talk and to share experiences with others in a similar situation. It takes place on the first Thursday of each month, from 6pm to 7.30pm. |
Macmillan Cancer Support Macmillan Online Community: The LGBT Lounge |
www.community.macmillan.org.uk 0808 808 0000 | Online Forum for people who identify as LGBTQ+ or any other minority sexuality/gender identity who have been affected by cancer. It invites people to share their experiences in a safe space. |
Other useful contacts | ||
Wiltshire Farm Foods |
0800 077 3100
| Providers of award-winning Softer Foods range that includes meals across three different textures to enable those living with chewing or swallowing difficulties to eat with ease and confidence. |
Wigan And Leigh Hospice |
| Registered charity, providing skilled and specialist care to adults and carers affected by a life-limiting condition in the Wigan borough |
GUTS UK |
| Guts UK is the only UK charity funding research into the digestive system. Provides information and support to patients and carers |
Oesophageal Patients Association |
| Organisation providing support to people with serious disorders of the oesophagus (mainly cancer) |
Macmillan Cancer Support. |
| Offers services for people living with cancer at every stage of their cancer experience. Provides emotional, practical, physical, and financial support. |
Upper GI Cancer Support Group |
01942 773459 | Twice-monthly relaxed and friendly support group, offering peer support, guest speakers and health and wellbeing information & advice. Held at St Peters Pavilion, Hurst Street Hindley, WN2 3DN |
| Non- curative cancer support group | 0161 922 5644 0161 276 6868 | Support group for people with a non-curative cancer. Held the first Wednesday of eery month 2:30-4pm at The Monastry, Manchester, Gorton Lane, M12 5WF |