Malignant conditions are of extreme social significance and are the second major cause of mortality in Bulgaria. This is due mainly to the fact that the diseases are diagnosed at a later stage, when treatment is extremely difficult or impossible. During the last twenty years the number of new cases has doubled. This places the oncological patients in one of the riskiest groups of the population. Practice shows that being subject of attention and specifically organized medical and social care, oncological patients show higher survival rate which is due mainly to their motivation to live. However, the healthcare system in the country still functions based on the anachronistic concept that the patient follows the system and not the other way around. This creates a gap which should be filled in with corresponding measures targeting better treatment, services and humane treatment which would ultimately result in improved socio-economic living conditions for all concerned.
The main objective of the project was to develop and apply a unified model of medical and social activities, which were not included in the national policy for cancer treatment, suitable to the specific needs of oncological patients. The project has been implemented on the territory of three oncological dispensaries in the cities of Sofia, Plovdiv and Burgas. Three consultative cabinets have been established – one per each dispensary. A multidisciplinary expert team has been established for each consultative cabinet, consisting of social workers and psychologists whose professional work is based on the three pillars of the psycho-social service delivery - client centered therapy, group therapy and active social awareness and advice. The project clients have been differentiated in the following groups: cancer patients in remission, patients who have recently been diagnosed with cancer and cancer patients in lethal phase. Valuable project practice, as reported by the clients, was the empowerment of the patients to help other patients. Thus, after being trained, patients in remission started on a voluntary basis helping other patients for whom the collision with cancer and hospitals was unknown and hostile. Additional trainings have made physicians and nurses look at cancer patients from a point of view other than the usual medical point of view. Clients have reported that the consultations, including those 24/7 on skype, the psycho-social services and the trainings they have been subject to, have improved their knowledge and understanding of their patient rights and now they are capable of combating inhumane and neglectful medical attitude. The Cancer Patient’s Manual, which is the first of its kind for the country, proved to be a reliable partner for every cancer patient. Another positive project practice is the establishment of a team of volunteers, a social worker and a patient who have visited the homes of people dying from cancer and their relatives. Following the death of the patients, many of the relatives continued to get psychological assistance in the centers of the three cities. However, the most valuable outcome of the project is the developed standard for delivering a service named “Center for Social Rehabilitation and Integration of People with Oncological Diseases” taking into consideration all regulations of the standard social service Center for Social Rehabilitation and Integration but adjusting it to the specific needs of these clients. The challenge to get the standard institutionalized and included in the Social Security Act follows on our agenda.
- 2192 psychological and social consultation hours have been provided to 291 patients and their relatives from Sofia, Plovdiv and Burgas for combating cancer stigma.
- 196 hours of mobile psychological services have been provided by 3 social workers.
- 312 sessions have been held with the relatives of cancer patients – psychological advice and social awareness and support.
- 7 groups for self-support, sharing and therapy have been set up (in the three cities), including 61 cancer patients. A wide self-support network of patients in the three cities has been formed.
- 40 patients have been trained in two modules – Patient’s Rights and Supporting Behavior. 20 of them were volunteers and helped recently diagnosed cancer patients.
- 46 health care professionals have been trained in one module on establishing a proper understanding of the disease and more ethical attitude towards patients. A working mobile group of 20 patients in remission has been formed who have provided 1593 hours of voluntary labor to 144 newly registered patients with cancer.
- A social service standard Center for Social Rehabilitation and Integration of People with Oncological Diseases has been developed and presented before the Minister of Healthcare. As a result, the Ministry of Health started drafting an ordinance on the implementation of the standard as mandatory for the country.
- 1 000 copies of the Manual of the Rights of Patients with Cancer have been published.
- Data portal www.oncobg.info has been set up. Nearly 13 000 visits have been registered since the launch of the portal.
Contact information
Evgenia Adarska
APOZ and friends
54 Vasil Levski Blvd., Sofia 1000, Bulgaria
Tel.: ++359 2 981 1091
Green Line: ++359 8001 1202
Cell Phone:+ +359 889 490 089
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