On 29th March 2013 BBC News on-line broadcast this:-
“All cancer patients should receive a “recovery package” at the end of their treatment offering ongoing support, the Department of Health (DoH) has said. It calls for care targeting patients’ financial, mental and physical needs. Macmillan Cancer Support, which helped develop proposals for a recovery package, estimated that about 200,000 people were not getting a package of support following their treatment.” You can read the entire news report here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21968714
Since then the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (itself set up in 2008) and Macmillan have developed and refined the Recovery Package; NHS England are encouraging all CCGs, as a matter of urgency to adopt it. Whilst there is no lack of enthusiasm and support amongst front-line NHS clinical staff, the full implementation of the programme is tardy; during a future meeting we hope to be able to report on the actual progress being made. In preparation for this you are invited to click on the above diagram, you’ll be directed to more details of the Package. In summary it has four main components:-
a) Holistic Needs Assessment & Care Planning.
b) Treatment Summary
c) Cancer Care Review.
d) Health and Wellbeing Events.
For a further description of the Recovery Package and one presented in a slightly more patient friendly fashion click on this; there are one or two faces in it that you may recognise!