Published on: 24 March 2021
Five years ago, healthcare partners across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw partnered with Macmillan Cancer Support to run the Macmillan Living with and Beyond Cancer programme to improve personalised care and support for people diagnosed with cancer in our region.
Following £5 million of investment throughout the last five years, the programme has come to end, having published a final evaluation report which can be seen here.
The improvements within cancer care and support have been far reaching – with £2.5 million invested into creating new support roles within cancer services, improving IT and digital connectivity, establishing patient support groups and providing the cancer workforce across SYB with valuable learning and development opportunities to enhance the care they are able to provide.
Des Breen, Medical Director for the SYB ICS and co-chair of the region’s Cancer Alliance, said:
“The Macmillan Living With and Beyond Cancer Programme has changed peoples’ attitudes to how we wrap care around the patient. Only patients can tell you what they need and we’ve shifted from, “What’s the matter with you?’ to ‘What matters to you?’
“I can’t think of a better example of personalised care and support than this programme, the cancer support workers have been invaluable to our services throughout the pandemic and we will continue to build on many aspects of this work as we focus on the recovery of cancer care across the region.”
You can learn more about the Living with and Beyond Programme here.