Report on cancer counselling service funded by the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust
Contract Year End Report for Fortuneswell Cancer Trust July 2025 to July 2026
The cancer counselling service accepts referrals from medical professionals working across all the cancer sites, chemotherapy, lymphoedema services, oncology dietician and radiotherapy. Self-referrals are also accepted.
Clients receive 6-8 sessions, usually on a fortnightly basis. They are offered sessions in one of 3 formats and can choose from telephone, video call or face to face in the Robert White Centre. Once these sessions are complete, if needed, they can refer back into the service, but it is usually requested that there is a 3-month break (to allow for new referrals to receive support). Some clients require one off follow up appointments e.g. around scans and results and these are accommodated as much as possible.
The service is also open to family members aged 18+ and couples counselling can be offered. If family members request sessions, then ethically they are seen by a different counsellor to the one supporting the patient. This cannot be offered when there is only one counsellor.
In 2025, The Fortuneswell Cancer Trust kindly agreed to fund an additional counsellor for 22.5 hours for one year (equivalent to 3 working days)
Emma Pritchard was appointed and started work in the Robert White Centre on 29th July 2025, supporting the substantive counsellor, Sylvia Carpenter.
Along with volunteer counsellor – Anne Saunders, this has enabled the service to be offered 5 days a week and gives patients much more flexibility in the days they can receive counselling.
At the beginning of 2026, a legacy was also left to Fortuneswell Trust for pancreatic patients and Anne has been able to use this legacy to offer immediate counselling to pancreatic patients and their families.
From August 2025 to July 2026, the service received 217 referrals.
The previous fixed term counsellor had left in November 2024, so when Emma started in July 2025, referrals had been stopped due reduced capacity and a long waiting list. At this point waiting times for a first appointment was approximately 6 months.
With Emma in post, waiting times are currently approximately 6-8 weeks, which means patients can be seen in a timely and more effective manner.
In the year that Emma has been with us, she has seen 122 patients and held 412 sessions.
Questionnaires are sent out at the end of therapy for anonymous feedback, here are some of the comments when asked ‘Please describe how counselling has made a difference to you’.
| It’s made me look at what I can change and not to worry about things that I can’t change. |
| Became calmer |
| My counsellor helped me get my worries in perspective |
| It has made me realise that I ignore my own needs above others. |
| Emotional support when needed. |
| My biggest takeway is to be kind to myself! Something we overlook and can make such a difference! |
| Made me open up & unload |
| Helped make positive steps |
| Less anxious |
| Gave me more confidence and helped me look at things in a different way |
| It made me more positive |
| I didn’t realise how much I needed someone to talk to. My thoughts had spiraled. Helped me to put my thoughts in order and rationalise what was happening |
| Hugely helpful. I felt heard in an unhurried way and my turmoil and distress were validated. It gave me some coping strategies for sleeplessness and emotional self control |
| I was made to feel that all that was going on is perfectly normal |
| It has made me look after ad think of myself more. I am overall happier |
| The counselling helped me to come to realise why I felt so anxious and depressed |
| It was good to be able to talk with someone outside of the family, without putting pressure on friends |
| It helped me with the problems I had |
| Useful strategies for combatting depression and insomnia |
| The sessions enabled me to tell somebody how devastatingly hurt, upset and betrayed I have felt since my breast cancer diagnosis. It enabled me to recognise that my feelings were entirely valid and understandable |
I hope this gives the Trust some insight as to the difference it makes to our cancer patients to be able to offer this counselling service. We are, of course, grateful that you have continued to support an additional counsellor for 2026/2027 and I am sure that it will give just as big an impact as this past year has.
Sylvia Carpenter
Senior Counsellor
Cancer Counselling Service