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Every campaign needs robust policy and research to back it up. See below for information on current and past projects that are pushing forward Macmillan's activity to improve work support for people affected by cancer.
Macmillan thinks government needs to do more to improve access to employment support after a cancer diagnosis. To kick-start a debate on this, we launched a policy report which builds on earlier research, particularly the work of the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI) project. In the report we:
The Work Foundation has also launched a report on cancer survivors and their return to work. You can download the Work Foundation report from its website (link opens in new window).|
Download our report Making the shift: Providing specialist work support to people with cancer [PDF].|
Returning to work after cancer treatment can be difficult and the needs of individual patients will vary from straightforward to highly complex. The NCSI Vocational rehabilitation pilot project [PDF]| was a joint partnership between Macmillan, the Department of Health and NHS Improvement which looked at the best way to address these needs.
This project developed a model of three levels of work support interventions required for people with cancer including specialist vocational rehabilitation.
You can read more about the pilot sites and the evaluation findings in the NCSI vocational rehabilitation evaluation final report July 2012| or the evaluation summary report|.
We commissioned a scoping study on the innovative concept of vocational rehabilitation prescriptions as a potential means to improve access to specialist vocational rehabilitation support.
This piece of work concluded that there is broad support and interest for the concept, but found that other issues need to be addressed at the same time (such as the availability of services and training of healthcare staff).
Macmillan is currently considering next steps on this project. Download our report Working it out: Improving access to specialist Vocational Rehabilitation [PDF].|
NCSI and Macmillan has carried out research looking at work and cancer support needs of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) following the successful development of the work and cancer toolkit for large employers.
The executive summary [334 kb]| is available to anyone who is interested in health and wellbeing at work, managing long term conditions and sickness absence. If you would like more information, please email workandcancer@macmillan.org.uk|
This study, conducted by Matrix Knowledge Group for Macmillan Cancer Support, explored the extent to which the Jobcentre Plus Pathways to Work (PtW) scheme and the NHS-run Condition Management Programmes are effective in helping people with cancer get back to work. The resulting report casts doubt on whether PtW is meeting the needs of people living with cancer – available to download below.
Visit our main Work & cancer section| for more in-depth information about work and employment related issues, for both employees and employers.