The Cancer and Rehabilitation Workforce Project

Kaye Radford and Chris Payten on developments of interest to all SLTs working in cancer care in England

Further to my last report (‘AHP Cancer Rehabilitation Project: latest developments’, Bulletin, September 2008, p6) this is a final update on this project, in which four allied health professional (AHP) groups – SLTs, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and dietitians – are developing pathways for cancer patients’ rehabilitation. The project provides:

• Nine evidence-based ‘ideal’ care pathways in the following stages: pre-diagnosis, diagnosis and care planning, treatment, post treatment, monitoring and survivorship, palliative care and end of life care. There will be pathways for nine cancer sites: breast, head and neck, brain and central nervous system, upper gastrointestinal, upper hepatobiliary pancreas, colorectal, gynaecology, urology and lung.

• A drop-down menu of common symptom pathways, which includes dysphagia and communication.

• Commissioning guidance for rehabilitation by the four AHP groups. This will include workforce data with defined levels of practitioner (defined as per Cancer Rehabilitation Measures) required to deliver the interventions at each stage of the pathways.

• An extensive catalogue of evidence.

A mapping exercise has been carried out nationally through the cancer networks to benchmark present AHP staffing levels in cancer care. At the last workshops in September, the groups used the draft pathways to work out timed interventions and workforce data, which the Department of Heath Workforce Review Team will use to draw up guidance for commissioners.

The project was launched on 12 January 2010 and all four AHP groups should find this an invaluable reference in supporting and developing their services to cancer patients.

Kaye Radford
Chair Head and Neck Oncology SIG
Email: kaye.radford@swbh.nhs.uk

Chris Payten
Chair of London Head and Neck SIG
Email: cpayten@nhs.net

Actions to take:

• Ensure your trust and network have submitted the mapping exercise workforce data.

• Visit: www.cancer.nhs.uk/rehabilitation for further details and to view the pathways

• Check out final publication of the project released on 12 January 2010; raise awareness within your own trust and with commissioners; and then localise the pathways within your own cancer network group.

Contact project lead Jackie Turnpenney, email: jackie.turnpenney@nhs.uk for further information