Recovery package for cancer

The recovery package is a set of interventions that your healthcare team uses. An intervention means that you and your team find ways to help you with your care needs and worries as they come up. It helps to improve your experience of living with cancer.

The recovery package aims to support people affected by cancer to:

• feel more in control
• improve their quality of life

Your medical team at the hospital and GP work together to make sure you receive the recovery package.

The recovery package is available throughout England. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, there are similar programmes.

How does the recovery package work?

The recovery package has 4 parts:

• holistic needs assessment (HNA)
• treatment summary
• cancer care review
• health and wellbeing events

Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA)

The HNA is a simple questionnaire that you fill out. It looks at the following needs:

• physical
• practical
• emotional
• spiritual
• social

Based on your needs, your team creates a care and support plan. This can include advice and information on:

• lifestyle
• self management
• local support
• a referral to a specialist service

You have the HNA at diagnosis, the end of treatment, or whenever your needs change. You can also ask to have an HNA when you feel you need it.

The HNA ensures that your team spots your needs early and find ways of helping you in the best appropriate way.

Treatment summary

The treatment summary tells your GP and other health professionals in the community:

• what treatment you’ve had
• what your needs might be
• how they can help you
• who to contact at the hospital if they have any questions or concerns

You will also get a copy of your treatment summary so that you understand your cancer. And you can share it with other professionals if necessary.

Your treatment summary also helps your GP to do your Cancer Care Review. And a copy in your medical notes is useful when you get admitted in an emergency.

Cancer Care Review

The cancer care review is based on your treatment summary. You have the review with your GP or practice nurse within 6 months of your diagnosis and after that yearly.

It covers topics such as :

• information and support available in your local area to help you to self manage
• the financial impact of cancer
• free prescriptions for people with cancer
• possible late effects of cancer and its treatment

Health and wellbeing events

Health and wellbeing events are sessions where you and your loved ones can learn about topics related to cancer. The information sessions cover topics such as:

• self management to help you feel more in control
• a healthy lifestyle with information on diet, physical activity, sleep, fatigue and mental health
• benefits and financial advice
• possible effects of treatments
• support groups