Health and Wellbeing Programme
At Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust we know that cancer has an impact on a person’s whole life and affects emotions, fatigue and energy levels, communication and relationships, finance, appetite and more.
Running alongside the medical intervention of our clinical team, the Health and Wellbeing Programme for cancer patients aims to provide holistic support and addresses a person’s physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. The programme is delivered through various courses, events, discussion and support groups, where family members are also welcome and encouraged to attend.
Our Health and Wellbeing Programme consists of:
- The First Steps Cancer Programme – for anyone recently diagnosed with cancer
- Prehabilitation – support to build up fitness from diagnosis and before treatment, to improve recovery and outcomes
- End of Treatment Events – these aim to support people’s health and wellbeing as they move forward at the end of cancer treatment/a block of treatment
- The Thinking Ahead programme – a course specifically for anyone living with incurable cancer
- The iHOPE Programme – Macmillan’s health and wellbeing programme to help anyone manage the stress of cancer and to build resilience
- Support Groups – run by the Macmillan Information Service to offer peer support
We are proud to have worked with cancer patient focus groups to help us design our health and wellbeing programme for people affected by cancer and their families. By including patient suggestions and feedback, we have co-designed a varied prorgamme to support people’s wellbeing at different stages of their cancer journey.
NHS England also highlight the importance of Health and Wellbeing support for everyone diagnosed with cancer, as part of national cancer strategy around delivering personalised care.
Please click on the tabs below to find out more about the different parts of the Health and Wellbeing Programme.
All patients and their family member are welcome to book by clicking on the booking links on the relevant pages, contacting their clinical team, the Macmillan Information and Support Service (01484 343614, 01422 222709 or email cancer.information@nhs.net) or our cancer team secretary Heather Milner on 01484 343490 or email heather.milner@nhs.net
You will also be asked to complete a consent form before joining a group appointment.
First Steps
The aim of the session is to inform people of the support available to them throughout their cancer journey and to assist them to help themselves. Sessions run every month and some of the topics included are:
- an introduction to cancer treatment
- the professionals you are likely to meet
- the importance of keeping physically active when you have a cancer diagnosis
- services available to support you
- diet
- managing emotions
- stopping smoking
For more information on First steps please click here which will open in a new page
Sessions will now be held virtually using Microsoft Teams. Please contact our cancer team secretary on 01484 343490 or email Heather.Milner@nhs.net to book a place for you and a family member.
End of Treatment Events
Four times per year we hold End of Treatment Events for people who have come to the end of their cancer treatment or block of treatment.
These events aim to help people move forward with as healthy and active a life as possible, after cancer, as well as helping to manage the side effects of treatment such as fatigue, weight changes and appetite. The event includes various wellbeing talks by different professionals with the chance to ask questions, and a session with your clinical team.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we are currently running these events virtually over Microsoft Teams.
Prehabilitation
Support for patients following diagnosis and before treatment, comes under the umbrella of health and wellbeing support.
Thinking Ahead Programme
Thinking Ahead is a course specifically for patients and family members living with incurable cancer. This is running virtually over Microsoft Teams due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
In March 2021 we are excited to be running a collaborative Thinking Ahead Course with Harrogate and Leeds Hospital Trusts. This means that staff from all three areas will be presenting on the course, and patients from all three areas are welcome to join.
The aims of the Thinking Ahead Programme are:
To help keep patients as well as possible for as long as possible.
To encourage living life to the full in a supported, self-managed way.
To offer support to family members.
To give advice on local services and how to access them when needed.
To allow an opportunity to consider future planning towards the end of life.
To give an opportunity to meet key people who may be able to help in the future.
To offer time for questions and concerns.
For more information on the Thinking Ahead programme click here.
The iHOPE Programme
The HOPE Programme – ‘Help Overcoming Problems Effectively’ – is a health and wellbeing course devised by Coventry University, to help people manage long term conditions.
Click here to find out more about the programme
The HOPE course has been adapted and adopted by Macmillan Cancer Support and runs as a positive psychology course, to help people manage the stress of a cancer diagnosis by encouraging goal setting, mindfulness, gratitude and coping strategies.
It is suitable for anybody diagnosed with cancer, regardless of whether people are receiving treatment or not.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the HOPE course has become a virtual course and has been renamed ‘iHOPE’ which is the online version.
The course is now run regularly by trained facilitators from the Macmillan Information Service.
Click here for further information with dates and booking details
iHope video (Patient's experience of joining a recent ihope course)
Support Groups
The Macmillan Information Service runs several support groups to offer peer support. The groups are informal and all currently running online over Microsoft Teams.
Please click here to find out about the support groups.
The Macmillan Information Service can also help to meet your holistic needs by giving practical, emotional and financial support and by making onward referrals to other support organisations.
