Refer your patients to Blood Cancer UK
Referring your patients to Blood Cancer Connect ensures your patients receive peer reviewed information and services to support them to live well with a blood cancer diagnosis.
Find out how it works and the benefits for you and your patients.
Why refer to Blood Cancer Connect
58% of people with blood cancer are not aware of the support available following their diagnosis. Newly diagnosed patients often have emotional and practical support needs that can’t all be met in limited clinic time. A referral to Blood Cancer Connect puts them on a direct pathway to additional support.
Blood Cancer UK provides tailored information and specialist services for all patients with blood cancer, including those with acute and chronic leukaemia and lymphoma, myeloma, MDS and MPNs.
We can support your patients and their loved ones through:
- health information tailored to their needs
- online peer-support available 24/7
- the opportunity to speak to blood cancer specialist nurses, with telephone interpretation in over 150 languages
help to find and navigate clinical trials.
Benefits for you and your patients
Referring your patients to Blood Cancer Connect:
- Ensures they have access to tailored information and support that complements your care.
- Reduces pressure on your team to keep up with different services – we provide specialist services for people with all types of blood cancer, including chronic and acute
- Reduces overwhelm for patients at time of diagnosis by taking the burden off them to seek out support
- Frees up your time, with a quick and simple referral process
Direct referral to Blood Cancer UK removes the stress of searching for information and support and instead delivers this directly, providing a lifeline for patients beyond their nursing care
- Zoe Kelsall, Lymphoma Advanced Nurse, Royal Stoke University Hospital
What patients receive
Once you refer a patient, they will receive a confirmation email from us. After that, they will get weekly support emails covering helpful topics such as:
- understanding a blood cancer diagnosis
- benefits, money worries and rights at work
- coping with treatment, managing side effects, and preventing infections
- support and resources for family and friends
- personal stories from the community and ways to connect with others facing similar challenges
These emails will also guide them through our support resources and information on our website.
As well as emails relevant to all types of blood cancer, we have tailored email journeys for carers and for people diagnosed with lymphoma.
For those who are unable to access email
If your patient does not have access to email, or English is not their first language, you can let us know when making the referral. One of our specialist nurses will call them at a time that works best for them. We also offer a telephone interpreter service, providing support in 170 languages.
It’s useful to explore information away from the clinical setting, in my own time. The info on the website allows me to think through what I need to know and to make best use of my clinical face to face time.”
- Patient referred to Blood Cancer Connect
How referral works
It’s quick and simple to join the service and start referring patients to Blood Cancer UK. Register your details to get started.
Once you have joined, you can refer patients and their carers in three simple steps:
Step 1
Talk to your patient or their caregiver about referral and get their verbal consent.
Step 2
Fill out a short referral form (see the video below).
Step 3
Your patients or their caregiver will get weekly emails with information, support, and patient stories. If they don't have digital access or English is not their first language, our nurses will call them instead.
Who to refer
- Recently diagnosed
- Any type of blood cancer
- Patients and caregivers
- Over 18
It's the quickest and easiest referral process I've seen
- Service Director for Access & Diagnostic, NHS Lanarkshire
Hospitals we work with
Over 25 hospitals across the UK refer their patients to us through Blood Cancer Connect. Click on the list below to see the hospitals that have joined.
View hospitals
- Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Bart’s Health NHS Trust
- Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
- East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
- Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- London North West University Healthcare Trust
- Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Mid-Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust
- NHS Lanarkshire via the Macmillan Improving Cancer Journey Service
- North Bristol NHS Trust
- North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Shrewsbury & Telford NHS Trust
- South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
- University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
- Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
- Wye Valley NHS Trust
Your Trust is listed, but not referring yet?
If your Trust is listed, this means a haematology team is already onboarded and the governance approval work has been completed. This means you can join the programme easily and start referring too.
To get started, please contact us at [email protected]. We’re here to support you in getting the programme up and running.
How to get involved
Submit your contact details and we'll get in touch with the next steps.
Frequently asked questions
Who can I refer?
Once you’ve signed up to start making referrals, you can refer the following people:
- Recently diagnosed patients and their caregivers
- Over 18s only
- Any blood cancer diagnosis
If your patient does not have digital access or they need information in a language other than English, let us know when completing the referral form. We’ll call them, using an interpreter if needed.
Can patients self-refer?
Patients and caregivers can independently access our services and information if they prefer. However, our research with people affected by blood cancer shows that a healthcare professional doing the referral takes the burden off the patient. This is especially helpful for newly diagnosed patients who are likely to be feeling overwhelmed and have a lot of information to take in.
People have told us it can be hard to reach out for support at diagnosis, but they would have welcomed proactive contact from a trusted source. We also want to break down the barriers for those that may welcome support, but would not reach out for other reasons.
Do you have anything I can give to my patients about referral?
We have a flyer you can give to patients when discussing referral. When you sign-up we’ll send you some copies, and you can contact us if you need more.
When should I refer?
We are not prescriptive about the timeframe to refer, as we appreciate patients respond differently to their diagnosis and clinics work differently. We would suggest referring as soon after diagnosis as feels appropriate – for example:
- at the diagnosis appointment
- during the HNA process
- during a follow-up call/appointment.
Who in my team can refer?
Anyone within the Multidisciplinary Team involved in the care of your newly diagnosed patients can refer. We welcome referrals from nurses, consultants, resident doctors, support workers, patient navigators and more.
Do you offer counselling/psychological support?
We do not offer counselling or psychological support, but our specialist nurses can signpost to local and national services. Patients can also access information on on psychological well-being and links to sources of support on our website.
Further information and support
If you're interested in taking part but have questions about the programme, we're here to help.
Email our Clinical Engagement Team at [email protected] and we’ll be in touch to support you.
Support we offer
We provide tailored support to people diagnosed with blood cancer and their loved ones, helping them better understand their diagnosis, treatment options, and care pathway. Our services complement the clinical care you provide, offering additional guidance and connection beyond the hospital setting.
Emotional and practical support
Our nurses offer support via phone, email, and social media, including interpreter services in 170+ languages.
Peer support
We connect patients and their loved ones with others through forums, events, and shared experiences.
Trusted information
We offer clear, accurate blood cancer information created with clinical experts and patients.
Clinical trials support
Our clinical trials support nurses help patients explore options, understand eligibility, and support them in having conversations with their care teams.