News
Map of Medicine and Macmillan Cancer Support
Cancer treatment can disrupt every aspect of a person’s life, and have a major impact on their emotional and economic well-being. However, services often focus on clinical outcomes in isolation of the diverse needs and preferences of people affected by cancer. In an exciting new project, Map of Medicine is working with Macmillan Cancer Support to create a national care map to represent the patient journey for people with cancer. This will integrate clinical, practical, financial, and psychological support, with the goal of tackling cancer inequalities and improving access to clinical care.
Macmillan will be using the care map to support NHS organisations with commissioning, to improve delivery against the criteria of the annual National Cancer Patient Experience Survey. The care map will be available nationally on the Map of Medicine, and will complement the existing clinical care maps in oncology by showing the patient’s parallel journey through support services.
Integrated, consistent care – both supportive and clinical – across different settings is essential to ensure that individual patients have a positive experience along their entire care journey. Accessible to all stakeholders, the Map encourages cross-service communication, streamlining care and enabling better clinical and patient outcomes.
By increasing patient access to comprehensive support services, the project aims to remove barriers to uptake of cancer treatment, thereby supporting commissioners in reducing cancer mortality.