Your care

We explain how to get the care and support you need if you have pancreatic cancer.

The healthcare system can be confusing and it can be difficult to work out how to get the care and support you need. In this section we explain the care you may expect at hospital and in your own home.

A team of medical professionals should review the information about your diagnosis. The team is called a multidisciplinary team (MDT).
You should be given the details of a nurse (called a clinical nurse specialist). They can support you and answer your questions.
The medical team or specialist nurse should regularly check are coping with any symptoms or side effects.
Ask the GP or nursing team who to contact if you need help in the evenings, at night or over the weekend.
Local community support can include help from a nurse at home and practical support such as equipment.
If you need nursing support at home, this is most likely to come from the community nursing service.
Hospices provide free palliative care for people with an illness that can’t be cured. This includes managing symptoms. Hospice care isn’t just for someone at the end of their life.
Your local council’s social services department may also provide support. You can request an assessment from them to work out what care you need.
Sometimes people consider private healthcare for pancreatic cancer. If you are thinking about private healthcare, you should speak to your GP or NHS consultant.

Your medical team

Find out about the health professionals who will be responsible for your treatment and care.

Woman speaking to a doctor at her medical appointment

The care you should expect and receive

Everyone with pancreatic cancer should expect a good standard of care. There are certain guidelines for cancer care across the UK that doctors should take into account.

Who to contact in an emergency

It’s important to know who to contact if you need help out of hours or in an emergency.

Palliative and supportive care

This is care that aims to help people with cancer that can’t be cured live as well as possible, for as long as possible. It provides specialist care to manage symptoms, and emotional, practical and spiritual support. It is not just for people at the end of their life.