Care of oncology patients: caring for the carers

The cost of caring for cancer patients is high emotionally for staff. As more emphasis is placed on skills training this cost may become higher as individuals are more able to identify their patients' concerns. It has been seen that health professionals can often identify with the cancer patient and feel somehow responsible for the current stage of medicine. This engenders helplessness in the face of treatments that may not work and the patient's uncertainty. It is suggested here that the organization should take some responsibility for caring for the carers by making time out a real possibility and by encouraging self care.