Supportive Care

Supportive Care encompasses the essential services required to meet the physical, social, cultural, emotional, nutritional, informational, psychological, spiritual and practical needs throughout a person’s experience with cancer. 

The Midland Cancer Network psycho-social assessment tool project aims to reduce the impact of cancer by better meeting the psycho-social needs of cancer patients.

The project objectives are to:

• adapt or adopt a psycho-social assessment tool for the Midland Cancer Network area
• pilot the assessment tool across the Midland Cancer Network area
• evaluate and monitor the ability to complete referrals to current and available support services
• develop a training programme and implementation plan  to roll out the psycho-social assessment tool across the Midland Cancer Network area

 The project is due to be completed in 2009.

Associated documents

• MCN Psycho Social Project - Project Scope Summary and Terms of Reference
• MCN Psycho Social Screening Tool Report - August 2009

Other Supportive Care Initiatives

The Ministry of Health is developing Guidance for Improving Supportive and Rehabilitative Care for Adults with Cancer in New Zealand. The anticipated release date for the guidance is early 2009.