The Prostate Cancer Pathway Project - funded by Lewisham Council - was a 12-month pilot project developed by Community Connections Lewisham in collaboration with colleagues across primary care, secondary care and public health. The aim was to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for prostate cancer patients, through delivering social prescribing interventions.
Since launching in September 2023, the initiative has reached members of the community who experience health inequalities and have some of the poorest health outcomes.
Social prescribing is an approach that connects people to activities, groups, and services in their community to meet the practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Social prescribers can be NHS workers (who are usually attached to specific GP practices and called “Link Workers”) or charity staff. They give people time to consider their health and wellbeing needs and any related concerns, focusing on ‘what matters to me?’ to co-produce a simple personalised care and support plan. The aim is to encourage and support people to take control of their health and wellbeing, including through ensuring they are addressing any underlying causes of problems they are facing (including housing, benefits maximisation and social isolation.)
The South East London Cancer Alliance worked with Community Connections Lewisham to help them make connections with local cancer services and build relationships with cancer support workers across our three Trusts.
The alliance also promoted the use of social prescribing as a vital element of support to patients living with cancer and are currently delivering projects to increase understanding of how social prescribing can further support patients.
The project included funding for Lewisham-based social prescriber Rebecca Bullen who provided one-to-one support for men with prostate cancer. Rebecca also joined forces with local charity Cancer Don’t Let It Win to set up a face-to-face prostate cancer peer support group for men living in Lewisham.
Rebecca said: “We are proud to have co-produced a service that was safe, supportive and designed specifically with and for those residents.”
Rebecca Bullen has reflected on lessons learnt and highlights from the project and said:
“Through our support group many patients told us this was the first time and opportunity they’d had to discuss their diagnosis and experience with other men, which they have found uplifting, informative and validating.”
“A number of patients also disclosed that staying in work and looking after their families took precedence over their diagnosis and capacity to engage with support services.
“Over 80% of the men we worked with were provided with at least three signposts and referrals, highlighting the variety of support services they require.”
“We know that 1 in 4 Black men will be affected by prostate cancer and that 26 per cent of residents living in Lewisham identify as Black African or Black Caribbean (Source: 2021 census data). A key target for the project was to provide a good quality, thorough social prescribing service to local patients we know to be most affected by the condition. Of the total number of men we helped, 61% of them were from the Black community."
Image below: Rebecca Bullen pictured with service user, Frank.
South East London resident Frank, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer, has spoken about the support he received from Community Connections Lewisham and said: “The service has helped me with meeting other people and being social - it often makes me feel I am not alone and for that moment, I forget my own problems and feel a little better. Talking to others has been very encouraging. For the one-to-one support, it’s been fantastic and has given me confidence to ask questions, and feel free to talk.”
Virginia Simpson, a Macmillan Cancer Support Worker within the urology department at Guy’s Hospital, often refers her patients to the support group. She said: “Becca has been extremely helpful and always replies to emails if I have a query on support or services in Lewisham, she also keeps us updated on events for prostate cancer in Lewisham to pass onto the patients and I shall continue to refer our patients to Community Connections Lewisham.”
Next steps
The 12-month pilot project came to an end in September however Community Connections Lewisham is still continuing to see patients with prostate cancer and support Lewisham residents through its main social prescribing service.
The support group is continuing to be delivered by local charity Cancer Don’t Let It Win and always welcomes new members. Community Connections Lewisham is also about to embark on an exciting new two year project - funded by Macmillan Cancer - which will extend its specialist cancer social prescribing service to all patients living in Lewisham who have been affected by cancer.
If you are a healthcare professional, please consider referring your patient(s) to their local social prescribing service so that their non-medical needs can be met in a holistic way near to where they live.
SELCA has produced the following resource which outlines the types of support available for people living with cancer: www.selca.nhs.uk/professionals/latest-guidance-and-resources/personalised-care
If you’re a patient or carer and would like to find out what support is available to you, ask your GP to refer you to your local social prescribing service. Some services also provide the option to self-refer and their contact details can be found here: www.selca.nhs.uk/patients-and-carers/information-and-support