Marie Curie Nurses and Macmillan Nurses – What is the difference?

Most people will have at least heard of Marie Curie or Macmillan nurses, but few people know the difference!  Generally speaking Marie Curie nurses come into your home and help care for a person who is dying of cancer (in the terminal stage).  Marie Curie Nurses can work both day and night shifts. There are 82 Marie Curie Nurses in the Grampian Region.

You can read more about Marie Curie Nurses here.

In contrast Macmillan nurses can be involved with patients from whenever they are diagnosed with cancer. Usually they are funded by the cancer charity Macmillan for the first three years and then the NHS takes over the funding.  They provide information, support and advice on controlling pain and other symptoms. They are usually based in a large hospital and often work office hours. There are 55 Macmillan nurses working in the North of Scotland (including Grampian, Moray, the Highlands and Islands, Orkney and Shetland)

You can read more about what Macmillan nurses do here.

Sometimes, a GP may suggest a person with cancer speaks to a Macmillan nurse and they refuse, because they assume that means their cancer is advanced and they’re not going to do well.  This is not true!  Macmillan nurses can speak to someone as soon as their diagnosed and it doesn’t mean your prognosis is “worse”.

Have you experience of Macmillan or Marie Curie Nurses in the North East of Scotland.  Please feel free to leave a comment below.