Evaluation of the Macmillan Integrated Cancer Care Programme

Client: Macmillan Cancer Support

The Macmillan Integrated Cancer Care Programme (MICCP) at Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust (CUHFT) was funded by Macmillan Cancer Support and delivered primarily at Addenbrooke's Hospital. The programme began in 2015 and Macmillan funding ended in December 2018. The programme was designed to improve cancer care, by risk stratifying pathways of care for people affected by cancer and embedding elements of the Recovery Package – specifically, electronic Holistic Needs Assessments and Care Plans, Treatment Summaries, Exercise Referrals and Health and Wellbeing events.

SQW was commissioned to undertake an independent evaluation, to provide a formative, summative and economic assessment of the MICCP. The evaluation ran from May 2017 to June 2018, concurrent with MICCP implementation. SQW worked collaboratively with Macmillan and CUHFT throughout the evaluation, which involved patient and workforce interviews, surveys of GPs and the local cancer workforce, an in-depth review of monitoring data, and an economic assessment of the financial implications of the approach, including modelling to predict anticipated future savings.

The MICCP sought to increase the opportunities for people affected by cancer to express their needs, improve the quality of conversations, provide tailored information and improve the overall experience of care. The MICCP:

  • Gave people affected by cancer the opportunity to express their holistic needs
  • Supported people affected by cancer and clinicians to have new and different conversations, and provided information to help people to self-manage
  • Improved the overall experience of care for people affected by cancer
  • Provided follow up care which people affected by cancer found to be more convenient and less stressful
  • Built the knowledge, skills and confidence of the workforce, and encouraged the new skills to be put into practice
  • Improved the coordination of patient pathways, and improved capacity across the system.

The evaluation evidenced the impacts being achieved at patient, service and system levels. The study also generated insights regarding 'what works' for trusts, Macmillan and others seeking to replicate or learn from the model. More detailed findings can be accessed using the links below: