Holistic Needs Assessments (HNAs) and Care Planning
The problem Macmillan aims to solve:
People diagnosed with cancer and moving through the treatment pathway experience inconsistencies in having their needs identified and met. Evidence suggests that after diagnosis people have unmet needs which change across their treatment pathway, and through short and long-term recovery. Common concerns and needs include worry, fear, anxiety, fatigue and fear of recurrence.
The solution
If we provide people with the opportunity to identify and address their holistic needs across the treatment pathway and beyond then they are more likely to experience person-centred care and support. It is recognised within the health care sector that HNAs and Care Planning are important parts of overall care and they should be considered at different times across the pathway.
The HNA is a structured method of identifying needs and discussing and agreeing the best way to meet them from the person’s perspective. It involves identifying and prioritising needs and then planning to address the prioritised needs. It offers a way to consider the multi-dimensional effect of cancer and its treatment. The HNA is a way to engage with the person and address their concerns and/or needs at the most appropriate times.
Care Planning is an integral part of addressing concerns and/or needs. A care plan records the needs that are most important to that person at that time. It should be shared with the person and other
health and social care professionals so the plans can be enacted. It also provides the foundation for future re-assessment and re-planning as a person’s holistic needs can change along the pathway.
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