Help with practicalities like contacting gp?

[CleanBedding]

My relative is caring for her elderly partner who has prostate and lung cancer, I don't know his prognosis but he is terminally ill.

Can anyone tell me how much a Macmillan nurse or similar can support them? He's at home, very tired and suffering from various pain and symptoms, struggling to get up and down stairs. Meanwhile she's spending literally hours on the phone waiting to speak to gp, trying to sort him medication and painkillers, then driving round to various chemists to fulfill the prescription. Surely there must be an easier way?

Also he's having texts from dr's surgery asking him to go to see lung nurse and pharmacist, when he struggles to get himself up and dressed and in her car. It all seems like madness to me.

Are they internet savvy?
If they look on the practice website there will possibly be either an EConsult option or a ‘contact us’ option which generally splits into why you are contacting them eg general queries or health concern.
If they are really struggling they could pop a written note in for the attn of the dr to say the issue they are having with prescriptions.
It really is awful when they have enough to worry about.

I think McMillan nurses vary in what they can offer depending on area. It might be best for them to phone and see what they can do for them.

There should be a system of district nurses who can make home visits. MacMillan or Marie Curie make be contactable by phone and either provide support or a hospice at home referral.

My DH had lung cancer, we where given a direct line to her for any issues. Has she got support from the hospice ? Here you can direct refer

Thanks for all your replies.

She does use the internet, but the surgery does not have econsult etc, I am at the same surgery and everyone just has to ring and wait. She was waiting for 3 hours recently and then got cut off. It's a ridiculous situation for her to be in and I can't believe there isn't something more streamlined for people with such serious, painful conditions that may change quickly. That's why I wondered if a macmillan nurse may be able to contact the surgery directly, arrange for meds to be delivered, sort home visits from the gp specialists (lung nurse and pharmacist etc). Act as a go-between and smooth the way, as all this hanging on the phone and driving round pharmacies is so stressful for my relative on top of caring for her dp!

Hospice is not involved no. I imagine her dp would be very resistant to their involvement at this stage.

If she keels over with exhaustion then surely it’s better to involve a hospice sooner rather than later.
Surely write to the GP practice to update them of the current situation. Sorry that the system seems to be so inadequate.

She at last has an appointment with a palliative care nurse. I'm relieved as she spends all her time caring for him, chasing prescriptions and taking him to appointments, and sourcing things that she hopes will ease his symptoms but often turn out to be unhelpful and she then has to go round returning them. I really hope the nurse is helpful with relieving his symptoms. His main issues seem to be a developing pressure sore and very swollen legs both from sitting all the time. I'm hoping the nurse can arrange an adjustable bed or chair that will help this.

He has at least been prescribed morphine for his pain now, although he is very reluctant to take anything.