Macmillan Integrated Personalised Care

About the Project

The Macmillan Integrated Personalised Care (IPC) project is a collaboration involving Macmillan Cancer Support, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH), and One Wirral CIC. It is designed to support individuals affected by cancer at every stage of their journey.

Through the IPC project, we aim to address the gaps in support that many cancer patients experience, especially after they get discharged from hospital care. Designed to use the strengths of various organisations, including the Macmillan Information and Support Service, Macmillan Wirral Welfare Benefits Service, and the Community Prehabilitation (Prehab) Service. By working together, we can make sure that every cancer patient in Wirral receives a tailored care plan that considers both their clinical and non-clinical needs.

Why It’s Needed

Despite better overall health outcomes compared to some areas in Cheshire and Merseyside, Wirral (particularly in the east) face significant health inequalities. Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death in our area, but advances in treatment and getting diagnosed earlier, mean more people are living longer with cancer. However, many of these people face long-term effects from both the disease and the treatment.

As of 2021-2022, there were 4,288 new cancer diagnoses at WUTH, and currently, 14,210 people are living with and beyond cancer in Wirral.

The IPC project is so crucial because it addresses several key issues identified by the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2022. The survey revealed that:

• 72% of patients had a discussion about their needs and concerns
• Only 51% felt they received enough support at home from community or voluntary services.
• 67% were adequately informed about the possibility of cancer recurrence or spread.

These gaps highlight the need for a more connected and personalised approach to cancer care. By creating a more connected system that includes a single point of access for community support, this makes sure people receive the necessary help to manage their health and wellbeing in a more thorough way.

Process and Desired Outcomes

The main parts of this project are:

1. Integrated team and workforce models: Creating a coordinated team that works across various settings, including primary, secondary, and community care. This team will include community support workers who will have personalised care conversations and develop the tailored care plans.
2. Single Point of Access (SPA): A SPA will be established for cancer community support, providing a way for patients to access holistic support. Every cancer patient will be offered a Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA) and a Personalised Care and Support Plan (PCSP).
3. Community Support Workers: These team members will link directly to the Macmillan Information and Support Service and other community partners. They’ll make sure that each patient’s care plan addresses their specific concerns and needs.
4. System-wide collaboration: Develop strong partnerships across the healthcare system, including voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) sectors. Having partners working together seamlessly will help improve the overall support network available to cancer patients in Wirral.
5. Evaluation and continuous improvement: The team will always be monitoring progress, including patient activation and wellbeing scores. Regular data collection and working closely with stakeholders will help us understand the impact of the intervention and help us with making improvements.

By building on the ‘Wirral Neighbourhoods Care Model‘, we’re creating a sustainable, integrated system of care that can grow and improve over time.

Have Your Say

If you are a Wirral resident and have had cancer, please take part in our cancer support survey to have your say about your experience. Having people with lived-experience provide feedback is a really important part of shaping this project, and it will only take around 5 minutes to complete.

At the end, there’s an opportunity to express your interest in attending upcoming community events where we’ll gather more feedback from people like you and local organisations. If you would prefer a one-on-one conversation about your experiences and suggestions, please indicate this when you provide your contact details at the end of the form, and we will reach out to you.