CANCER
1PMPyU0
1PMPyU0
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Bloodwise 22<br />
STRATEGIC REPORT<br />
BEING A VOICE AT A NATIONAL LEVEL<br />
In January NHS England announced the establishment<br />
of an independent taskforce to develop a five-year<br />
strategy for cancer services. The taskforce has been<br />
asked to deliver the vision set out in the NHS Five<br />
Year Forward View, which calls for action on three<br />
fronts: better prevention; swifter diagnosis; and better<br />
treatment, care and aftercare for all those diagnosed<br />
with cancer. The taskforce sought responses to three<br />
questions:<br />
1. What commitment would you like to see in a new<br />
cancer strategy that would significantly improve<br />
cancer services?<br />
2. What are the examples of good practice in cancer<br />
services that you’d like to see replicated across the<br />
country?<br />
This type of support is particularly important for<br />
blood cancer patients, as for many their cancer<br />
isn’t ‘cured’ by their treatment; instead, often their<br />
treatment means they will ‘live with’ their cancer for<br />
many years.<br />
Solid tumour patients have been positive about<br />
aftercare packages such as the Cancer Recovery<br />
Package. However we know that take up of this<br />
package has been very low from blood cancer patients,<br />
so we told the taskforce that further consideration<br />
should be given to how it could be adapted for<br />
chronic patients managing their cancer as a long term<br />
condition. For some, the terminology ‘recovery’ just<br />
doesn’t resonate.<br />
3. What’s the biggest barrier to improving cancer<br />
services?<br />
Our response was driven by the evidence we’ve<br />
identified through our patient need research, which<br />
made it clear that access to appropriate emotional<br />
support during and after treatment is one of the most<br />
significant areas of unmet need.<br />
We told the taskforce that we know many patients<br />
feel the level of support they get falls away after<br />
their initial treatment. While they continue to<br />
receive regular check-ups with health professionals<br />
to manage their medical needs, the emotional and<br />
psychological element of care is often missing and we<br />
think this needs addressing.<br />
Bloodwise trading as Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Company limited by guarantee 738089<br />
Registered charity 216032 (England & Wales) SC037529 (Scotland)
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