Macmillan Secondary Breast Team

Macmillan Secondary Breast Team

Patient Information

Cancer Care Services Wigan

• Author ID:           ND
• Leaflet Ref:         SBC 017
• Version:              1
• Leaflet title:         Macmillan Secondary Breast Team
• Date Produced:   March 2025
• Expiry Date:        March 2027

Introduction 

This leaflet has been produced for patients who have been diagnosed with Secondary Breast Cancer to give you general information about the Macmillan Breast Care Nursing Team at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust, who are based at the Cancer Care Unit at Wigan Hospital.

They work closely within local and national guidelines to provide ongoing practical, emotional and psychological support for you and those you care about.

If after reading this leaflet you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team who has been caring for you, or your Macmillan Breast Care Nurse.

What Is Secondary Breast Cancer? 

Secondary breast cancer is sometimes referred to as metastatic breast cancer and is when breast cancer cells from the primary (original) breast cancer have spread to another area in the body through the lymphatic or blood system.  The most common areas that are affected are the bones, liver and lungs.

Who Will Help Me? 

A specialist Breast Multidisciplinary Team led by a Consultant Oncologist will decide the most appropriate treatment for you. This will be specifically tailored to your needs, and you will be able to discuss your treatment options and what they might mean.

The treatments may include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, bisphosphates and targeted therapies like Herceptin. Surgery is not generally an option; however it may be discussed in some cases. Sometimes a clinical trial may be appropriate for you and if you are a suitable candidate for the trial, this will be explained in detail to see if you wish to consent to participate.

The aim of treatment for Secondary or Metastatic Breast Cancer is to control and slow down the spread of the disease, to relieve symptoms and to give you the best quality of life, all of which will be closely monitored.

In addition to the hospital medical team, the Macmillan Breast Care Nursing Team will support you and your close ones, depending on your needs. They will be able to liaise with other professionals to ensure you have appropriate help and support.

What is the role of the Macmillan Breast Care Nursing Team?

The Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust Macmillan Breast Care Nursing Team consists of Consultant Oncologists, a Pharmacist, a Specialist Nurse and a Cancer Care Support Worker.

The team will look after you throughout your treatment pathway and will liaise closely with the multi-disciplinary team involved with your care. You will be allocated a key worker from the nursing team.

The Macmillan Care Support Worker has had additional training to help and support patients and their significant others, who are being investigated and diagnosed with secondary/ metastatic breast cancer, undergoing treatment, and also those who are being followed up. They work very closely with the nursing team to help them to care and support you.

The service also aims to give you the skills, knowledge, and confidence to manage your health through advice and information giving to support you. We will also inform you about additional services you can access.

Who Is the Macmillan Secondary Breast Team? 

Elena Takeuchi: Lead Consultant in Medical Oncology

Rahul Peck: Consultant in Medical Oncology

Mark Pearce: Pharmacist 

Hannah Reid: Advanced Nurse Practitioner 

Kate Tomkinson: Secondary Breast Cancer Nurse Specialist

Nicola Dawber: Secondary Breast Cancer Support Worker 

How can we help you?

In order to help you fully understand your diagnosis, treatment plan and follow up, so that you receive an appropriate level of support, we have an open access telephone triage number where contact with a member of the Macmillan Breast Care Nursing Team can be arranged for you. This contact is usually by telephone, or alternatively we can arrange to see you at your medical appointment.

The Macmillan Breast Care Nurse (Key Worker) you met today was:

Kate Tomkinson

We work as a team and are all available to support you throughout your treatment and follow up.

When you attend for an appointment with your specialist doctor, there is usually a Breast Care Nurse or Support Worker available. If you wish to see one, please let us know or ask a member of staff in the clinic. You can also contact us at any point, even if you are no longer receiving treatment, should you wish to discuss anything that you feel is important to you.

How can I contact the team?

The Macmillan Breast Care Nursing Team work Monday to Thursday and messages can be left on the answer phone and will be dealt with between the hours of:

Monday to Thursday 08:30-16:30pm 

The team will endeavour to return your call within 48 hours (unless messages are left outside of these hours, over the weekend or on Bank Holidays, when calls will be returned on the following working day).

The Breast Cancer Care Support Worker will be your first point of contact on

 01942 822764 

They will triage the messages to ensure you are able to get the right information, advice, care and support you need to help you with your concerns, queries or questions from the right team member or service.

Please note that this is not an emergency number.

Useful contact telephone numbers:

Macmillan Information and Support Centre

Cancer Care Centre

Royal Albert Edward Infirmary 

Wigan Lane 

Wigan 

WN4 2NN

01942 822760

Out of hours, please contact your GP/District Nurse 

                                                OR

Wigan GP Alliance (to book an appointment with a GP, Nurse or Health Care Assistant from 6:30pm until 10:00pm) 01942482848 between 8am-8pm 

                                                OR

Out of Hours, call 111 (when it is less than an emergency)

We provide a fantastic network, offering practical, emotional and financial support and information for patients and their families.

The Christie Hotline - 0161 446 3658

The Christie Hotline is a 24-hour nurse-led telephone service. It is available to Christie patients, carers and healthcare professionals for advice or management on the side effects and complications of cancer treatments.

Macmillan Cancer Support - 0808 808 0000

Macmillan Cancer Support works with a wide range of agencies and health professionals to provide better services for patients with cancer from the point of diagnosis. Macmillan Cancer Support works in partnership with the National Health Service to improve the provision of mainstream healthcare for people with cancer and their families. Macmillan Cancer Support funds nurses, doctors and buildings for cancer care and also provides patient grants to people who have cancer, or who are experiencing the effects of cancer, and are in financial need.

Breast Cancer Now – 0808 800 600

Provides information and support to both patients and families. Freephone is open Monday to Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm, Saturday 9:00am – 2:00pm. North of England Regional Office 0345 077 1893. 

You can visit their website: www.breastcancernow.org for more information. 

Secondary Breast Support Group 

The group takes place on a set day once a month, usually at the same venue next to Wigan town Centre. It’s an open group. The main aim is to have an enjoyable afternoon. It’s also, to give people the opportunity to meet others in a similar situation and to come and speak to the Breast team or Macmillan if needed. We also invite different services down including Beauticians, Microblading, Massage Therapist, Talking Therapies, Mindful Mondays etc. Tea, coffee, water and biscuits are provided. If you have any dietary requirements, let us know. Please speak to one of our team for more information if you are interested. 

General Advice 

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Information about you 

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the Health Service, and to help with research. Wherever possible, we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns, please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For Confidential Information about You

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing, and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.