Psychosocial Support
The Transforming Cancer Services Team (TCST), funded and in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, has produced a suite of resources to help system leaders and commissioners examine and develop their current psychosocial support services for adults affected by cancer, as well as their families and carers. These resources have been developed in partnership with key stakeholders across London.
The resources cover the time from diagnosis, through acute treatment, living with and beyond cancer and end of life care. Psychosocial support services are an integral part of personalised care, as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan. Additionally, the new quality of life metric will be incorporated into the national cancer dashboard from June 2020 and for the first time will capture how well people are living with and beyond cancer and where improvements may be required.
The suite includes:
- Commissioning guidance for Cancer Psychosocial support (refreshed February 2020)
- Improving psychologically informed cancer care: implementing the London Integrated Cancer Psychosocial Care Pathway and the development of psycho-oncology services: Business case (February 2020)
- Pan-London Mapping of Psycho-oncology Services (February 2020)
The focus of the NHS Long Term Plan on personalised care, and the upcoming quality of life metric, form important drivers to improve psychosocial care across London. Partnership working between commissioners, service providers across the pathway, the third sector and service users is needed to ensure the delivery of the best possible care for Londoners.