Dr Phillipa Hyman, Macmillan Clinical Health Lead and Clinical Psychologist from the Transforming Cancer Services Team at Healthy London Partnership has won a Macmillan Professional Excellence Award for excellence in integrated care. The annual awards ceremony hosted by Macmillan recognises and celebrates the outstanding contribution that professionals make to cancer services on a local, regional and national level.
Phillipa has been recognised for her work around developing an integrated pan London psychosocial support pathway for adults affected by cancer, their families and carers; to deliver excellent psychosocial care from diagnosis, through treatment, living with and beyond cancer and end of life care. The pathway is based on the overarching aim of “reducing health inequalities and addressing unwarranted variation in care” which is at the heart of both NHS and Public health agendas.
A psychologist by background, Philippa has focused her work over the last three years on the impact that cancer and its treatments can have on mental health, physical health and socio-economic status. Research shows that at specific points along the a person’s cancer journey, many report feeling unsupported in relation to their psychological needs, being unsure where to get help and experiencing poorer mental health as a result, this in turn negatively impacts on patient experience, outcomes and quality of life. 58% of people diagnosed with cancer feel their emotional needs are not looked after as much as their physical needs (Macmillan, 2006).
The pathway, developed in a co-design capacity with service users, service providers across acute, primary care, community settings, the Third sector and with support from commissioners can be localised to fit with existing services available within STPs and enable integrated care systems to be effectively developed across London.
Speaking at the event Dr Philippa Hyman said, “It is a huge honour to win this award. I really feel that the pathway will support local improvements to psycho-social services, so that people affected by cancer can access the best type of support they need, when they need it”.
The full commissioning guidance can be found here.
For further information or if you have any questions, please contact england@tcstlondon@nhs.net