Cancer: Mental Health Services

(asked on 4th July 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has taken steps to improve training for NHS professionals providing emotional and psychological support for (a) solid tumour cancer patients and (b) blood cancer patients.


Answered by
James Morris Portrait
James Morris
This question was answered on 13th July 2022

Health Education England is developing a career framework for cancer nurses and allied health professionals, which will include training in emotional and psychological support. In addition, a project to establish training standards and job roles for cancer support workers will also include training in the knowledge of cancer, cancer treatments and the potential short and long term effects and enhanced communication and psychological skills to support patients, including those with solid tumours and blood cancer.

No specific assessment has been made of the provision of psychological support for blood cancer patients. However, NHS England and NHS Improvement have asked Cancer Alliances to review mental health provision for these patients through its 2022/23 planning guidance. Access to Improving Access to Psychological Therapies long term condition pathways have been identified as a priority to support integration of mental health and physical health services for patients with co-morbid long-term conditions, such as cancer.

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