1. Allied Health Professionals in cancer care
Presentation written by Sally Hall
Lead Allied Health Professional
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
Presented by Penny Bolton
Head of Service (Adult Therapies/AHP’s & Rehabilitation)

2. 12 Allied Health Professions
Physiotherapists – 48,863
• Occupational therapists – 33,789
• Therapeutic and diagnostic radiographers – 29,052
• Paramedics – 19,955
• Speech and language therapists – 13,942
• Chiropodists/podiatrists – 13,060
• Dietitians – 8,340
• Drama, art and music therapists – 3,429
• Orthoptists – 1,312
• Prosthetists and orthotists - 944

3. 4 million contacts per week
And nationally…
AHPs
12 professional groups
4 million contacts per week

4. NHS Five Year Forward View
The NHS Five Year Forward View was published on 23 October 2014
A shared vision for the future of the NHS across six national NHS bodies
3 areas where there is a significant funding gap between demand and resources:
health and wellbeing
care and quality
funding and efficiency
NHS Five Year Forward View 4

5. So where does cancer care fit in?
2.5 million people are living with cancer in the UK 1000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK everyday 1.2 million cancer related admissions into hospital in 2012 / 13 1 in 2 people with cancer have co-morbidities 57% of people with cancer are surviving 10 years or more compared to just 1 year in 1970

6. Rehabilitation
Cancer rehabilitation aims to maximise physical function, promote independence and help people adapt to their condition; empowering patients living with and beyond cancer with supported self-management. A range of AHPs provide rehabilitation services and, through developing self-management skills, patients can take an active role in adjusting to life with and after cancer.
macmillian.org.uk

7. Stages of rehabilitation
Prevention
Support and restore
Palliative Care
Stages of rehabilitation
Question: What is your role within the different stages of rehabilitation?

8. Preventing lymphoedema Preventing hospital admissions
Delivery of radiotherapy
Respiratory difficulties
Managing pain
Getting back to work
Nutrition and hydration advice
Helping with fatigue and energy
Communication difficulties
Improving independence and function
Improving strength and balance
Supporting discharge from hospital
Supporting anxiety and distress
Improving quality of life

9. Recommendation 70: NHS England and Health Education England should support a national review of the cancer rehabilitation workforce and promote the role of AHPs in multi-disciplinary teams

10. The cancer strategy
“Rehabilitation is not yet embedded across the cancer pathway. There are variations in access to AHPs who deliver rehabilitation services. AHPs are commonly part of multi-disciplinary palliative care teams, but not always part of multi-disciplinary teams before the palliative stage”

11. What are our challenges?
What is our priority? What are our services commissioned to deliver currently? Can we influence this?
Can we define the AHP role in cancer care – across 12 professions?
Knowledge and skill in cancer care - are we competent?
Outcomes – are we effective? Can we demonstrate?
VISABILITY & IMPACT