10 Top Tips: Social Prescribing and Care Coordination in Primary Care

People living with cancer have described feeling like they have ‘fallen off a cliff’ when they’re discharged from regular follow-ups. Having the opportunity to be seen by such a key role working in Primary Care can provide the support they need.

It may also be helpful to signpost your patients to our after cancer treatment information and the following booklets.

Over 70% of people living with cancer need emotional support. About 2 in 5 people suffer from depression and 1 in 10 are troubled by anxiety.

Social prescribers and care coordinators can contribute to identifying these needs by:

• asking what matters to the person
• signposting/referring to appropriate support
• identifying sources of support in the community
• referring the individual back to their GP/CNS where appropriate.

Visit our services for your patients page to learn about the different support and information we can provide your patients.

Getting back to work after a cancer diagnosis can be difficult. Research suggests that 87% people living with cancer who were employed at the time of diagnosis would like to return to work. However, over half of people living with cancer don’t know where to go to get help with this.

A social prescriber or care coordinator could provide vital support. Our Macmillan’s Work Support Route guide and Top Ten Tips for Primary Care Professionals may help with these discussions.

The following webpages and resources may also be beneficial for your patients.

People living with cancer can have multiple physical consequences of cancer and its treatment that may need medical intervention.

Having a close relationship with the primary care team can be beneficial. By developing links back into and from secondary care, you can ensure these problems are identified early, and that people are offered appropriate support.

We also have information on physical impacts of cancer and treatment and late effects of treatment that can be helpful for patients.

Written by Dr Anthony Cunliffe in partnership with the Personalised Care Institute.

Next planned review: March 2025

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