Improving patient outcomes following a cancer diagnosis

Cancer survival is improving, incidence is increasing and, for many, cancer is now being regarded as a long-term condition. Traditional followup services are no longer meeting the needs of patients, nor are they sustainable. Based on a long-term conditions model, NHS Improvement is working with test sites to develop new pathways of cancer aftercare. This article describes the new self-managed pathways and how they support recovery and health and wellbeing. With half of people with a cancer diagnosis having at least one other chronic condition (Elliott et al, 2011) and cancer more commonly being a disease affecting the elderly, community nurses have a role to play in sustaining self-management and supporting the seamless and coordinated delivery of these pathways. They are well placed to reinforce messages given in secondary care, to sell the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, to be aware of the local amenities to signpost patients to, and to encourage their uptake and embed self-management.