Personalised care interventions

A holistic needs assessment (HNA) is offered following a cancer diagnosis and provides an opportunity for patients to identify what matters most to them and to have their needs addressed at the earliest opportunity.

The HNA covers a wide range of topics such as physical and emotional wellbeing, as well as social elements such as family, finance and work.  

Once completed, this assessment will help to guide the conversation with patients to enable a personalised care plan to be developed. 

Our guidance document describes the agreed expectations for implementing HNAs in acute settings across the Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance. 

It explains what an HNA is, who should be offered one and how it should be completed. 

This guidance helps promote a consistency of approach in the offering and administration of HNAs by hospital cancer teams.  

Macmillan Cancer Support has created a guide for professionals providing holistic needs assessments, care and support planning: Personalised care for people living with cancer: A guide for professionals

Information and support should be made available to patients during and beyond cancer treatment, including:

• emotional support
• coping with side effects
• physical wellbeing
• advice about money
• getting back to work
• making healthy lifestyle choices.

NHS Trusts offer health and wellbeing information and support for patients to address these needs. A cancer patient can talk to their hospital team about what's available. 

Other support 

• Macmillan Cancer Support offers emotional, physical and financial support from diagnosis. A patient can talk to a Cancer Information and Support Specialist on the free Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00. 
• Cancer Research UK has a range of resources to help cope with the effects of cancer.
• One You Kent and A Better Medway can help boost motivation or kick-start some lifestyle changes for people wanting to lose weight, stop smoking, get more active or reduce your alcohol intake.

At the end of a period of treatment, a patient should receive a treatment summary (sometimes referred to as a TS) from their hospital cancer team.

A treatment summary will include:

• the patient's diagnosis
• the treatment received
• follow-up arrangements
• possible long-term effects or complications
• signs and symptoms to look out for
• details of who to get in touch with if the patient needs support or is worried about anything.

A treatment summary has a dedicated section identifying next steps for primary care. A copy of this is sent to both the patient and primary care.

This is an appointment, around 12 months after diagnosis, with the patient and primary care professional (GP, practice nurse or other staff member trained in delivering cancer care reviews). This provides another opportunity for patients to raise any new and  ongoing concerns. 

The review should include:

• talking about the patient's diagnosis and current needs and any worries they may have
• any extra support they might need
• a review of their medication
• outlining access to other services they may need, such as counsellors, rehabilitation specialists or social prescribers.