ERI, why and for whom?
Located in Centre François Baclesse entrance hall, the ERI is open to any person concerned with cancer, without prior appointment.
It is a reception area where you can be heard, exchange and obtain information in complement to that already provided by our medical and care teams. The ERI contributes towards improving overall care for patients suffering from cancer.
A healthcare support worker welcomes you there during opening hours, on weekdays.
At the Centre François Baclesse (CFB), the ERI was created in 2008 following an agreement between the CFB, the Calvados Committee of the Ligue Contre le Cancer and Sanofi. Its activity is covered by the ERI Charter and by a local steering committee.
What is the ERI?
- It offers you an opportunity to speak freely and confidentially and to treat yourself to some personal time, outside of your medcial care.
- On cancer in general, on its treatment and side effects, all using vocabulary that is accessible to all.
- In liaison with CFB and external healthcare professionals.
- In liaison with assistance and support organisations and associations throughout the region.
The healthcare support worker organises:
- Publics conferences-debates on themes associated with cancer and by healthcare professionals. These conferences are open to all.
- ERI Encounters, group workshops encouraging exchange between patients and healthcare professionals.
The themes covered are generally those requested by patients who come to visit the ERI: going back to work, sophrology, breast reconstruction, oncosexuality, prostate cancer treatment, etc.
The ERI provides you with:
- Validated reference documents (by the French National Cancer Institute, the Ligue Contre le Cancer, the ARC Foundation, etc.) and those specifically created by the Centre François Baclesse on:
- Cancer prevention
- Cancer screening
- Different cancers
- Treatment and side effects
- Websites that are reliable sources of information on health
- Contact information on various assistance and support services
- Patients’ associations
- Wigs and breast implants
- CARSAT
- Time and availability to respond to questions and concerns from patients and their family or close friends.
The ERI informs you on:
- Cancer and its treatment: visitors can broach the subjects that are worrying them and general questions that come with the onset of disease. Upon the patient’s request, the healthcare support worker can repeat or explain certain aspects or specific vocabulary to enlighten the patient.
- The different supportive care options available at the Centre François Baclesse.
- Useful information and resources during care at the Centre François Baclesse.
- Useful information and resources in external and neighbourhood healthcare facilities.
The ERI organises information workshops for patients: ERI Encounters You can consult the dates and themes of forthcoming ERI Encounters on our ‘Calendar’ page!
ERI office opening hours
- THE ERI IS CURRENTLY CLOSED. IT WILL REOPEN IN MARCH 2022.
Behind the creation of the ERI…
In 1998, the Ligue Contre le Cancer organised the General Assembly of cancer sufferers, which enabled patients and their close circle to voice their desire to benefit from an area devoted to information and encounters within specialised cancer care facilities. This area, which is separated from hospital care sectors, was not to be coordinated by caregivers.
Following the event, the Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, in partnership with the Gustave Roussy Cancer Institute and Sanofi, created the very first Information and Encounters Area (ERI®) in 2001. Since integrated within successive French national cancer plans, ERIs have emerged throughout France and, in 2020, some 35 structures were already certified and coordinated by the Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer.
Healthcare support worker, a new profession?
Neither caregivers nor volunteers, healthcare support workers are generally trained in human social sciences or in communication. Over and above medical and psychological tutorship, they are trained in listening skills and, continually, on the various aspects of cancer.
As well as medical and psychological tutorship, they benefit from regular training organised by the Ligue contre le Cancer. A new profession, involved throughout the patient’s care path, the healthcare support worker’s role is now perfectly integrated in medical and hospital settings. They come as a complement to care departments, with a mission to welcome patients and to identify and collect their specific needs and expectations, or those of their close circle.
Without giving any personal medical information, they offer essential and concrete information that goes towards improving quality of life, in collaboration with all other professionals involved in cancer care. They are the interface between the patient, his/her close circle and the various other professionals. The healthcare support worker’s job is one of many faces, the essential mission being to understand the patient’s request and to list and to provide answers in the most appropriate and accurate manner possible.
The healthcare support worker is not able to answer individual medical questions. He/she provides complementary information to that already provided by your doctors and care staff.