Wessex Cancer Alliance are providing a focus on psychosocial support for people impacted by a cancer diagnosis across Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Our aim is to ensure high quality psychosocial support for people impacted by cancer is available where and when it is needed, at the appropriate level (NICE 2004) based on an individual needs, using a personalised care approach and delivered by a workforce with appropriate knowledge, skill and confidence.
What do we mean by psychosocial support?
Psychosocial support incorporates actions that address the psychological and social factors that can impact a person’s wellbeing, both in a preventative and curative way.
People impacted by a cancer diagnosis, including friends, family and carers can experience psychosocial distress and if not addressed appropriately, this may have wider implications for example decreased quality of life, negative effect on treatment outcomes and disengagement with health and social care.
Psychosocial Support Special Interest Group (SIG)
A specialist interest group (SIG) has been formed by Wessex Cancer Alliance to provide guidance as ‘critical friends’ to those working on projects related to psychosocial support, or those wanting to align local psychosocial support service development initiatives to this work.
The SIG supports project leads with the delivery of their project objectives via guidance and local influence, and can enable and support engagement with key stakeholders in respective organisations. The group is comprised of clinicians and specialists working in cancer services, or cancer-aligned services e.g., hospice and palliative care, cancer support and information organisations.
Psychosocial mapping of support provision across Wessex
Following the Quality of Life survey 2021, anxiety and depression were two key issues reported to be experienced by people 18 months after diagnosis. In 22/23, WCA undertook a mapping exercise of psychosocial support provision to identify the gaps in provisions and understand ways we can improve support for people impacted by cancer.
In 23/24, WCA will develop and build recommendations to address the gaps in provision of psychosocial support and continue to work with providers across the footprint.
Academic modules for nurses working in cancer care
Our workforce is key to providing improved psychosocial support for people with cancer, and their carers. To develop the confidence and skill for our workforce, three modules have been developed in partnership with the University of Southampton to form a post graduate certificate pathway.
Module content incorporates topics such as the six domains of personalised care and the theoretical side of psycho oncology.
- Module 1: Personalised Care
- Module 2: Research methods
- Module 3: Enhancing Practice in Psychological Skills in Cancer Care
For more information visit our Educating the Cancer Nursing Workforce page
Integrated psychosocial support pathway
As part of a Wessex Cancer Alliance Workforce Transformation project 22/23, Portsmouth Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust are developing and piloting a proposed integrated psychosocial support pathway between the acute hospital and local NHS Talking Therapy providers. The pathway will utilise the expertise of the psycho-oncology service to support the understanding of bio-psych-social-spiritual aspects of cancer care, enabling improved access to psychosocial support.
The project will last approximately 12 months with an aim to codesign an evidence-based, integrated psychosocial support pathway for people affected by cancer that can be shared across our footprint to ensure equitable and high-quality care.
