We are looking to improve cancer services and outcomes for people who are frail or at risk of frailty in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We know in some other areas, older people with cancer and frailty are referred to a team for a specific assessment of their needs. The aim of this is to help people make decisions about cancer care and treatment that are right for them, and to support people through treatment.

To find out what people feel about the development of such a service locally, we asked people what they thought of this idea and what would be important in the design of such a service. We focussed on hearing from older people as they would meet the criteria to use this service but recognise that frailty can affect people of any age. More details of what we are doing to address the findings can be found in the ‘Next Steps’ section at the end of the report.

Published: January 2026