Many breast cancer patients find the time following treatment
very challenging, and as such it is helpful for patients to begin
thinking about cancer support services while active treatment is
still ongoing.
Similar to the OwnHealth programme, the Surviving Cancer
Living Life is a proactive telephone based cancer survivorship
service provided by specially trained oncology nurses (known as
Care Managers) who utilise Motivational Interviewing to support
patients recovering from breast or prostate cancer.
Surviving Cancer Living Life project exemplifies how
fundamental elements of the OwnHealth programme can be
successfully extended beyond traditional long term condition
management. The programme was initiated as a jointly funded
partnership between Guy's & St Thomas' Charity and Pfizer
Health Solutions in May 2008. Its design and operation was made
possible through a partnership between Guy's and St Thomas' NHS
Foundation Trust and Pfizer Health Solutions. The objective of the
programme is to improve support and provide access to information
for cancer survivors after active treatment. The Care Managers are
employed by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and work in a
support centre within Guy's and St Thomas' hospital.
The Care Managers assess each patient by following the Basic 8
Self Management Priorities which are:
Whilst the telephone conversation is focused on the Basic 8 Self
Management Priorities, the conversation does not follow a
meticulous script but rather it is lead by the patients' agenda.
The patients enrolled in the programme are also supplied with a
Supporting Breast Cancer Survivors Care Book. The Care Book
reflects the Basic 8 Self Management Priorities and educates the
patient about breast cancer and the effects of various methods of
treatment. The content of the care book encourages the patient to
develop their own plan of action resulting in improved health and
wellbeing.