Holistic needs assessment: A survey of the use of tools in prostate cancer care and follow up
Prostate Cancer UK and its partners in Australia, Canada and the USA are currently undertaking a major project aimed at improving the lives of men living with and beyond prostate cancer. As part of this project, Prostate Cancer UK is planning a strategy to provide further support to men in self-managing their condition. The Universities of Warwick and Sheffield are working with Prostate Cancer UK to provide the evidence for informing this strategy.
As part of this work, we need to know how prostate cancer teams around the country are currently assessing patients at different stages. In order to help us identify current practice relating to the identification of men’s needs, we are carrying out a short e-survey regarding the use of Holistic Needs Assessment instruments. We would like to hear from a range of staff involved in follow up care and monitoring and from as many prostate cancer services as possible. If you could spare 10 minutes of your time please complete the following questions.
Holistic Needs Assessment
A process of gathering and discussing information with the patient and/or carer/supporter in order to develop an understanding of what the person living with and beyond cancer knows, understands and needs. This holistic assessment is focused on the whole person, their entire well-being is discussed – physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, social, and environmental. The process culminates when the assessment results are used to inform a care plan.
Holistic Needs Assessment Tools
Holistic needs assessment tools aim to identify patients’ needs in all of these domains by means of a structured questionnaire. This questionnaire can be completed by the patient alone or with the help of an informal carer if necessary, or by a health care professional. These tools are distinct and have a different purpose from Patient reported Outcome Measures (PROMS), Quality of Life Instruments and Symptom Scales although there may be some questions which overlap with these.
Prostate Cancer UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1005541) and in Scotland (SC039332). Registered company 2653887.