Prehabilitation in perioperative care special interest group

2023 marks the four-year anniversary of the launch of "Principles and Guidance for Prehabilitation within the Management and Support of People with Cancer." This publication  was the result of a partnership between Macmillan Cancer Support, the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the National Institute for Health Research Cancer and Nutrition Collaboration. 

Since the launch of these guidelines, Macmillan has continued to champion activity in prehabilitation to support the development of services and professionals. Examples of this work include the creation of PRosPer, an e-learning package funded by Health Education England. The PRosPer programme provides eLearning modules covering personalised care and support planning, prehabilitation and rehabilitation, and managing the consequences of cancer and its treatment. It also includes a module on workforce development and service redesign. Macmillan has also established a Masters module in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University, offering a comprehensive curriculum to enhance professionals' knowledge and skills in the design, development and delivery of prehabilitation. Macmillan has supported the implementation of prehabilitation services in various parts of the UK and is involved in innovation work about prehabilitation in association with Bristol Myers Squibb.

The need to support service development was also anticipated in the 2019 guidance. One of the objectives of the 11-point action plan was to create a space for professionals to come together to share expertise and learning.

To fulfil this objective, Macmillan and the Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) have joined forces to host a Specialist Interest Group on the Health Foundations Q Community Platform. 

CPOC is a cross-speciality centre dedicated to the promotion, advancement and development of perioperative care. The aim of CPOC is to optimise the surgical pathway from the moment someone contemplates surgery, all the way until they complete their recovery. CPOC wants to see the implementation of simple but effective interventions to reduce cancellations, complications and hospital bed delays. This will help tackle waiting lists, improve patient outcomes, boost efficiency and lower cost. 

Prehabilitation Special Interest Group aims to bring together a range of healthcare professionals from various specialties within the health service, enabling them to exchange expertise, knowledge, and experience of working in prehabilitation services. The group is open and free for anyone to join. We want to create a platform where we can learn from each other, share what works and what doesn't, and support the development of prehabilitation services in a collaborative manner.

While acknowledging the existence of local networks, our vision is to bring people together at a national level, fostering collaboration and sharing across different regions, the four nations and potentially internationally. By connecting professionals from diverse backgrounds and geographical locations, we hope to accelerate the dissemination of best practices and overcome common challenges together.

The development of the Prehabilitation Special Interest Group has been facilitated by the Health Foundation’s Q Community.

Q is a community of thousands of people across the UK and Ireland who collaborate to enhance the safety and quality of health and care. Drawing from their expertise in building communities like ours, the Health Foundation’s platform will provide a dedicated space for members to connect, engage in discussions,  share resources, develop project ideas, and even submit bids for funding.

In addition to the platform for professionals to connect, we are planning a series of online events, hosted in partnership with the Wessex Cancer Alliance. These events will offer valuable opportunities to share case examples, research findings and create a space for debates and discussions.

To become a part of the Prehabilitation Special Interest Group and join a community of like-minded professionals committed to developing and embedding prehabilitation services, you can join quickly as a guest to explore the platform or apply to become a Q member.

For further enquiries about the Special Interest Group, visit The Health Foundation Q Prehabilitation SIG.