Improving Cancer Journeys Learning Programme
When someone is diagnosed with cancer they face not only the reality of their diagnosis, but also the ripple effects on everyday life. They need to attend medical appointments to receive treatment whilst juggling work, bills, transport, family responsibilities and sometimes other conditions too.
For some, these disruptions can lead to them missing appointments and even dropping out of treatment altogether because it is simply too much to manage.
People affected by cancer do not have equitable access to the practical, emotional and physical support they need to progress their clinical treatment and keep their lives on track. Those who feel the biggest impact of this lack of support also tend to be those with the greatest need.
This film shows the reality of cancer for Debbie and Heidi and how a lack of support can impact a person’s life. It also shares how medical professionals have a desire to join the dots in cancer care, but they cannot always manage this.
The Improving Cancer Journeys Learning Programme
We are building a long-term partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, and will be working in collaboration with partners in the NHS and community in North Central London, North East London and Mid and South Essex to identify, implement and generate an evidence base around best practice in holistic support in England.
During the first year of this programme, we are working with Macmillan to hear the experiences and needs from people living with cancer, their family and friends as well as healthcare providers. We also want to understand the services they currently access and benefit from.
By gathering these insights, we can then shape a plan that addresses the needs for those with cancer across our geography. This can then be evaluated to build evidence for spreading the approach across England. We will also take learnings from existing models across Scotland and Hammersmith.
This work will assess both direct support, referrals and sign-posting to local services to meet a range of needs, be those financial, emotional, or practical. Previous work to deliver holistic support services has shown that they have a positive effect on health, both directly and because the economic and social benefits help patients to stay in treatment.
The work will build on the successful implementation of the Macmillan ‘Improving Cancer Journeys’ service in other parts of the UK and assess what can be adapted in the UCLPartners region to implement similar holistic support services.