title: Improving patient outcomes following a cancer diagnosis.
abstract: Cancer survival is improving, incidence is increasing and, for many, cancer is now being regarded as a long-term condition. Traditional followup services are no longer meeting the needs of patients, nor are they sustainable. Based on a long-term conditions model, NHS Improvement is working with test sites to develop new pathways of cancer aftercare. This article describes the new self-managed pathways and how they support recovery and health and wellbeing. With half of people with a cancer diagnosis having at least one other chronic condition (Elliott et al, 2011) and cancer more commonly being a disease affecting the elderly, community nurses have a role to play in sustaining self-management and supporting the seamless and coordinated delivery of these pathways. They are well placed to reinforce messages given in secondary care, to sell the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, to be aware of the local amenities to signpost patients to, and to encourage their uptake and embed self-management.
authors.affiliation: National Improvement Lead NHS Improvement. julia.ozdilli@nelcsu.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ozdilli
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Gilmour
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frew
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare; D003152:Community Health Nursing; D019091:Critical Pathways; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care; D017741:Survivors; D006113:United Kingdom