Improving the Cancer Journey in Powys

Powys Teaching Health Board and Powys County Council are working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support on a programme called “Improving the Cancer Journey in Powys” (or ICJ).

The aim of the programme is to ensure that everyone living with cancer in Powys gets the best help and support to live their life as fully as they can, by providing them with the practical, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social support they want or need so they can achieve what matters most to them.

Cancer is classed as one of the Big 4 diseases within the Powys Health and Care strategy. In Powys, just under a thousand people are diagnosed with cancer every year. With improvements in cancer care, treatment and drugs, it is now often the case that people are living well, and for longer, with cancer. As a result, it is more important than ever that their health and well-being needs are identified, and met.

The ICJ programme follows a model of care similar to one developed

in Glasgow. The programme aims to offer everyone who is diagnosed with

cancer a personalised and supportive conversation (known as a holistic needs

assessment) with a key worker who will discuss the individual's needs and

concerns, offering advice, information and signposting.

This support may cover a wide variety of topics, such as:

welfare benefits;
returning to work;
making a will;
social care packages and carers assessments;
access to occupational therapy or lymphodema health services;
how to tell family members or children about a diagnosis or treatment;
dealing with tiredness, fatigue or pain management;
nutritional advice;
recommended physical exercise;
local support groups.

If you haven't been offered/completed a holistic needs assessment and you’d

like to do so, please contact either PAVO or The Bracken Trust who will be

happy to help. If you are caring for a loved one, you can also contact Credu

who support unpaid carers in the county.

See our Useful Links tab (below) for contact details and see our

'Support Closer to Home' leaflet and our poster.

The experiences of people living with cancer are at the heart of shaping this project. If you would like to share your story – either as someone living with cancer or a family member or care - please get in touch by emailing the project team at ICJPowys@powys.gov.uk

Our ICJ documents

As the programme progresses we’ll add information and key documents to the page to keep you updated. Please take a look at our:

Plan on a Page which explains simply what the ICJ in Powys programme is about.
End of Stage One Report which is a detailed 32 page document.
End of Stage One Infographic which sums up the content of the report (above).
Compendium of patient stories 15 stories of both Powys people living with cancer and those who have cared for loved ones.
Key Themes – the top ten themes that came from the 40+ stories that people living with cancer in Powys shared with us.
Theory of Change Report - describes the changes the programme wants to achieve and the ways in which these will be achieved.
Caring About Cancer in Powys - our newsletter Issue 1 Spring 2022.
Top Ten Tips - this poster offers some tips and advice to others about what worked when going through a cancer journey.
End of Year Two Report which is a succinct 12 page document.
Caring About Cancer in Powys - our newsletter Issue 2 Autumn 2022.
A blog produced in conjunction with PAVO which introduces Penny, the new ICJ connector.

PRESS RELEASES

PODCAST

ICJ features in an episode of the Cancercast Cymru podcast series, showcasing

examples of innovative improvements to cancer services across Wales.

Available in English only.

In the video below Dylan Owen, Head of Commissioning at Powys County Council up until September 2022, explains how the programme came about and what it will mean for people living with cancer in Powys. Both the council’s Welfare Benefits Team and the ASSIST team (Adult Social Services Information and Support team) are key to the support offered as part of the programme.

From blue badges to support with PIP applications, the Welfare Benefits Team support Powys residents living with cancer to access the benefits they are entitled to.
The ASSIST team exists to ensure care and support is coordinated when someone needs it, whether that’s around discharge from hospital, help at home with daily living, getting home adaptations or having access to community transport. Click on the links in the Useful Links tab (below) for more details.

For more videos from both professionals and people living with cancer visit our YouTube channel.

Below: Chair of Powys County Council, Councillor Gareth Ratcliffe greets delivery partners and ICJ sponsor for the programme at one of the summer events. Left to right - Marion Baker (Bracken Trust), Sharon Healey (PAVO) and Becky Evans (Credu) and Dr Ruth Corbally, Macmillan GP Cancer Lead and the Clinical Lead for Cancer for Powys Teaching Health Board and ICJ Sponsor. Tim - a Welshpool resident - gave a speech at the Welshpool event. Read it below.

Read Tim's speech here