National Cancer Survivorship Initiative

NHS Dorset and NHS Bournemouth and Poole are responding to the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI) with the aim of improving services and support for those living well with and beyond cancer. This national initiative is a partnership between the Department of Health, Macmillan Cancer Support and NHS Improvement.

Traditionally cancer services were delivered as part of an acute illness which was treated and followed up by hospitals. The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative challenges this view. There have been dramatic improvements in survival rates over the last ten years. This means cancer is becoming an illness which may be cured or which might have the characteristics of other long term conditions that people can live with for many years. Currently there are 1.8 million people in England, 2 million across the UK as a whole, who have been diagnosed and are living with cancer. This figure is set to increase by 3% per year. By 2030 there are likely to be around 3 million cancer survivors in England.

Dorset Cancer Network’s remit is to coordinate the implementation of the National Cancer Survivorship agenda on behalf of the commissioners and providers within Dorset. This will include looking at the fundamental 5 key shifts to ensure the transformation happens.

These 5 key shifts include:

• A cultural shift in the approach to care and support for people affected by cancer – to a greater focus on recovery, health and well-being after cancer treatment
• A shift towards assessment, information provision and personalised care planning
• A shift towards support for self management
• A shift from single model of clinical follow up to tailored support that enables early recognition of and preparation for the consequences of treatment as well as early recognition of signs and symptoms of further disease
• A shift from an emphasis on measuring clinical activity to a new emphasis on measuring experience and outcomes for cancer survivors through routine use of Patient Reported Outcome Measures in aftercare services.

The vision nationally is ambitious in its aim to transform not only the architecture of services but the whole landscape of support with the implementation of:

• Coordinated, commissioned packages of care across clinical service and organisational boundaries, with prompt access back into secondary care and seamless transition to end of life care as required
• Education and training for health and social care professionals, patients and carers
• The development and implementation of innovative self-management programmes within a robust framework of evaluation
• Consistent use of Holistic Needs Assessment for all patients, covering all aspects of potential need
• Provision of personalised care plans and treatment summaries for all patients
• Risk stratified care with proactive case management of high-risk cases and remote monitoring where appropriate
• Provision of information and education enabling patients to move forward with confidence in their ability to self-manage.

For more information see: www.ncsi.org.uk or contact Verena Cooper – Lead Nurse, Dorset Cancer Network verena.cooper@dorset.nhs.uk

Living Well, With and Beyond Cancer in Dorset

Dorset Cancer Network delivered a “Living well, with and beyond cancer in Dorset” conference in January 2012. The event was aimed at health and social care, local voluntary and charitable organisation, with local support groups displaying information about their groups. Presentations from the day are available in the downloads section of this page.

Rising Voices

. “Singing is fun, singing is good for you...

It helps breathing, it combats fatigue

and it restores confidence.

It doesn’t need complicated or

expensive equipment - and you don’t

need to be able to read music or sing.

You can help yourself and others.

You can sing - everyone can!”

The project to develop a community choir across Dorset is developing well. It is proposed the choir will commence in January 2013 on a Tuesday evening at the Lighthouse, Poole 6 – 8pm.

For more information about joining the group please visit www.risingvoices.org.uk or email admin@risingvoices.org.uk. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.