Work and Finance

1. Work and Finance

2. National Cancer Survivorship InitiativeWork and finance workstreamNCSI conference, 21 September 2009 Barbara Wilson, Workstream Chair Duleep Allirajah, Workstream Support

3. Work and cancer: the scale of the problem The problem • 90,000 working age people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year • 774,000 people of working age in the UK have had a cancer diagnosis The solutions • We have reviewed the evidence and identified the gaps • We still do not know enough about the size and scale of the problem • Macmillan will be commissioning a large scale population study on work and cancer in 2010

4. Information and advice about work The problem • Less than 50% of patients are advised by cancer doctors about impact of treatment on their work • Patients aren’t routinely offered information about returning to work by the NHS The solutions • We are working with the Cancer Action Team to ensure that information prescriptions help people returning to work • We will be developing and testing tools to aid more effective assessment and signposting from the point of diagnosis

5. Vocational rehabilitation The problem • NHS rehabilitation services are focused on hospital discharge • DWP services are focused on the long-term sick • Many employees have no access to occupational health services The solutions • We have developed a vocational rehabilitation model for cancer • We plan to run vocational rehabilitation pilots in 2010 • We have also commissioned a study to explore whether DWP programmes work for cancer patients

6. Vocational rehabilitation model EMPLOYERS NAVIGATION 1 2 3 4 • Case managed approach • Rehabilitation/living well • Self management • Post-treatment • Drop-in • Signposting • Face to face • Focussed interaction • Early information and support • For employers, professionals and patient VALUES

7. Employer support is variable The problem Only 50% of patients are offered flexible working arrangements 80% of employers are unaware that cancer is covered by the DDA The solutions Macmillan’s Working Through Cancer pilot will be testing a toolkit for employers We will be developing a strategy to raise employer awareness of information and tools We are planning to commission a study to explore the specific challenges faced by small businesses

8. Financial hardship The problem • 92% of people with cancer have suffered loss of income and/or higher costs • Among under 55s, the average fall in income was 50% • 77% of cancer patients receive no information about welfare benefits The solutions • Ensure information prescriptions support people with financial needs • Test tools to aid assessment of financial need and signposting to advice services • Develop policy options in light of Macmillan’s study into the drivers of financial hardship

9. Questions • From what you have heard today, what is most important initiative we are undertaking? • What, if anything, has been left out? • What will be the difficulties in implementation? • How can we overcome these difficulties? • What other points come out of this discussion?