Download Attendees on the course report that they:

Attendees on the course report that they:
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Feel reassured and able to recognise own potential for making changes to
enhance quality of life, confidence and happiness.
Feel more able to support and share with others.
Experience reduced isolation.
Feel more confident in dealing with emotional issues, depression, anxiety,
anger and frustration.
Understand and use positive communication skills and reflective listening.
Know how to achieve long and short term plans for change by using the goal
setting and problem solving steps.
Are able to address difficult problems using the problem solving techniques
of the course, which is designed to analyse and find solutions.
Are able to use the relaxation techniques practiced on the course to refresh
both mind and body.
Can share the course experience and knowledge with family and friends.
Goal Setting
“Just starting small and simple makes you
realise that there’s things you can do, you
don’t have to wait until you’re fantastically
healthy. It makes you realise “I can do that,
I have got the ability to do that.””
Not feeling alone
“Things got very emotional at times, but
knowing that I wasn’t alone and it was OK
to feel like that was very helpful.”
Positive and negative emotions
“We all supported each other throughout,
sharing tears of sadness, tears of joy,
times of seriousness and times of
laughter. I’d recommend it to anyone.”
HOPE has developed further in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and
Coventry University, and is a successful self-management programme for cancer
patients across the country. It is becoming increasingly embedded within cancer
patients’ post-treatment pathways across the country.
Ongoing support
“There is light at the end of the tunnel. I
met some lovely people and I know I can
phone anyone of them anytime.”
Macmillan Next Steps
For further information on training as a
HOPE facilitator or about where courses
are being run please contact:
Coventry University originally developed the Help to Overcome Problems Effectively
(HOPE) programme. This is a health and lifestyle coaching programme for cancer
patients that uses cognitive behavioural principles and techniques underpinned by
hope theory (Snyder et al., 1994), self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1991), and
motivational interviewing (Miller & Rollnick, 2002).
HOPE is a self-management programme for patients who have completed their
cancer treatment. It is a group programme delivered by health or social care
professionals and trained lay facilitators or volunteers: in self-management, Lorig et
al. (1986) has shown that lay facilitators achieve similar participant outcomes to
health professionals. CBT research (Lambert, 2005) has similarly shown that
untrained paraprofessionals chosen for their warmth and empathy can promote
client improvement equal to that obtained by trained therapists.
Phone - 0300 421 6586
Fax - 0300 421 6814
Email [email protected]
There are currently 2.5 million people living with cancer today, with this number set
to reach over 4 million by 2030. Using population projections from national statistics
and studies of cancer prevalence in the UK, J Maddox reports growing demands on
clinical time and that cancer services are set to be under strain.
The Cancer Reform strategy states that the current health care system will struggle
to meet the existing needs of the growing numbers of cancer survivors, and
highlights the need to commission services to support patients who may be dealing
with long-term and enduring effects from cancer treatment.
Those living with and beyond cancer face a number of challenges following primary
treatment and can feel lost and abandoned during the transition from patient to
survivor. Many struggle with those consequences of treatment that may be avoided
or self-managed, such as fatigue, fear of recurrence and depression. The recent
studies of Michael Sharpe and colleagues in the Lancet Oncology show that a
rigorous approach to the interventions to alleviate depression in people with cancer
or after cancer treatment is needed. The risks of depression in patients with cancer
is two to three times higher than the general population. High quality cancer
survivorship can improve outcomes in all domains of the NHS Outcomes framework
(2013–2014), and supporting cancer patients to self-manage could save a number of
outpatient appointments a year.
HOPE self-management courses are for all cancer types, and recognise the
commonality of unmet psychological and emotional needs (fear of recurrence,
reduced confidence), physical needs (fatigue and need for physical exercise), and
social needs (such as social isolation).
HOPE is a licensed and accredited self-management programme and Macmillan
Cancer Support run a strong and well-evaluated HOPE Facilitator Training
Programme. This programme trains health and social care professionals, lay
facilitators and volunteers (who have either had a cancer experience, cared for
someone with cancer or volunteer with cancer patients). They are selected to attend
a two-day intensive training programme, with an assessment of competence on the
second day. The programme emphasises the importance of relationship/trust
building, focusing on participants’ strengths, collaboration as equals and providing
solidarity and encouragement. HOPE training also covers low intensity CBT
competences, such as shared agenda setting, activity scheduling, identifying and
challenging automatic unhelpful thoughts and setting and reviewing goals.
When the trained facilitator runs their first patient course they are assessed on the
second or third week by a registered HOPE Assessor, using a clear marking and
assessment criteria. Once passed they are accredited to run further courses, with a
monitoring visit within two years.
Macmillan Cancer Support are committed to provide a high level of training, with
learning and development support for trained HOPE facilitators, ensuring quality and
positive outcomes for patients attending the programme.
The HOPE programme for cancer patients is generally delivered in six consecutive
weekly sessions, each of 2.5 hours duration, although some areas over a 2 day HOPE
programme with a follow up session within 3 months. There is a mix of psycho
education, skills practice and reviewing self-management goals. The delivery and
design of the programme is set within the training manual, to ensure quality and
consistency whilst allowing flexibility to discuss in-depth issues that participants find
most relevant and helpful.
HOPE course content: