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DCP Faculty for Oncology and Palliative Care

The Faculty for Oncology and Palliative Care exists to support psychologists working in the specialist area of oncology and palliative care.

About

On 30th October 1996 fourteen clinical psychologists who worked in cancer and palliative care met in Bristol to form a professional support group. Since then it has become the Faculty for Oncology and Palliative Care and has a membership of over 200 across the UK.  We think the size of the faculty now is a testament to the great work of many clinical psychologists in the field in clinical care, research and leadership. It also speaks to the inclusive and supportive philosophy of the faculty.

The faculty tries to meet at least twice a year, alternating its meetings between London and outside London. The faculty also has 'workstreams' where it tries to advance our practice in specific areas.  At the moment our workstreams address level 2 training and supervision, specialist induction for level 3 or 4 staff, and inpatient work.

The Faculty warmly welcomes non-clinical psychologists, though only Full members of the DCP may vote on Faculty matters.

We hope to use this website as a way of linking members with one another and keeping them up-to-date with news and forthcoming meetings.

Aims

  • To disseminate the knowledge and skills of Faculty members among pre- and post-qualification clinical psychologists. 
  • To promote a wider understanding of psychological work in oncology and palliative care settings.
  • To promote and support advances in psychosocial knowledge and research.
  • To promote high standards of psychosocial care and quality of life among individuals, families, staff and others coping with cancer, illnesses requiring palliative care and bereavement.
  • To promote the highest standards in the application of psychological knowledge to clinical problems in oncology and palliative care.
  • To raise awareness of cultural and other differences in oncology and palliative care.
  • To share information among, and support the interests of members of the group in their activities in oncology and palliative care.
  • Where appropriate, to collaborate with other organisations, group or individuals with similar interests.
DCP Faculty for Oncology and Palliative Care

News

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DCP Faculty for Oncology and Palliative Care

Events

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DCP Faculty for Oncology and Palliative Care

Guidelines

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Demonstrating Quality and Outcomes in Psycho-oncology

This report outlines a rigorous, multidimensional framework for evaluating quality and outcomes in psycho-oncology services.

Useful Links

Here we aim to provide a curated list of the most useful resources for your work. Please let Mike Rennoldson know if you have any suggestions for resources we could add.

Practice / Commissioning Guidelines

1. Tumour site specific NICE standards requiring access to psychological care (updated October 2019).

Go to the NICE guidelines homepage, and enter the guideline number in the search box:

Brain & CNS:
  • CSG10 - Improving outcomes for people with brain and other CNS tumours
  • NG99 - Brain tumours (primary) and brain metastases in adults
Breast:
  • CSG1 - Improving outcomes in breast cancer
  • CG81 - Advanced Breast Cancer: diagnosis and treatment
  • CG164 - Familial Breast Cancer: classification, care and managing breast cancer and related risks in people with a family history of breast cancer
  • NG101 - Early and locally advanced breast cancer: diagnosis and management
Colorectal:
  • CSG5 - Improving outcomes in colorectal cancer
Dermatology
  • NG14 - Melanoma assessment and management
Haematology
  • NG47 - Haematological Cancers: Improving Outcomes
Head & Neck
  • CSG6 - Improving outcomes in head and neck cancers
  • NG36 - Cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract: assessment and management in people aged 16 and over
Lung
  • NG122 - Lung cancer diagnosis and management
Sarcoma
  • CSG9 - Improving outcomes in sarcoma
Upper
  • GING83 - Oesophago-grastric cancer: assessment and management in adults
Urology
  • CSG2 – Improving outcomes in bladder cancer
  • NG131 – Prostate cancer: diagnosis and management

See also NHS England specialised kidney, bladder and prostate service specification

Health Economic & Effectiveness evidence

1. Dieng, M., Cust, A. E., Kasparian, N. A., Mann, G. J., & Morton, R. L. (2016). Economic evaluations of psychosocial interventions in cancer: a systematic review. Psycho-oncology, 25(12), 1380-1392

2. Mausbach, B. T., & Irwin, S. A. (2017). Depression and healthcare service utilization in patients with cancer. Psycho-oncology, 26(8), 1133-1139

3. Osborn, R. L., Demoncada, A. C., & Feuerstein, M. (2006). Psychosocial interventions for depression, anxiety, and quality of life in cancer survivors: meta-analyses. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 36(1), 13-34

4. Jacobsen, P. B., & Jim, H. S. (2008). Psychosocial interventions for anxiety and depression in adult cancer patients: achievements and challenges. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 58(4), 214-230

Faculty guidelines

 

BPS Faculty of Oncology & Palliative Care Awards

Service innovation award

Applications are currently closed.

Who and what is it for?

The Award for Service Innovation is an award to celebrate innovation in psychological services for people with cancer or in palliative care.  This year it focuses on innovation that makes services more inclusive or integrated.  By inclusive we mean services that are available to everyone who needs them, and that actively reduces barriers to accessing care faced by some groups.  By integrated we mean services that are available to people at the point of care, delivered as part of the other healthcare they receive.

This award is intended to celebrate clinical practice rather than academia or research. An example might be the development of a new clinic or service that delivers psychology in a different format - one that enables people to access services who previously could not.  The award is open to any service where the staff include at least one full member of the Faculty.

What is the award?
  • Certificate of the award
  • £700 to be used towards CPD or conference attendance or presentation.
 What are the criteria?
  • An innovative service or way of practicing that makes psychological services more inclusive and / or more integrated.
  • The nomination includes evidence of the impact of the innovation on the psychological care of people affected by cancer, or people receiving palliative care.
  • The views and experiences of patients and their families have significantly influenced the innovation.
  • Recipients of the award must be Full members of the Faculty.
How will it be judged?
  • Applicants will need to be nominated. Any one person can nominate a psychologist or service, including self-nominations.
  • The submissions will be judged by an awards committee that will consist of at least two faculty committee members.   
What do I need to submit in the application?

Describe the innovation (250 words)

Describe the impact of the innovation (250 words)

Describe how people affected by cancer or who use palliative care services have been involved in the development of this initiative.

The ideas or inspiration for the innovation.

Oncology and Palliative Care Trainee research award

Applications are currently closed.

Who and what is it for?

The Oncology & Palliative Care Trainee Research Award is an award to celebrate high quality research undertaken by trainee clinical psychologists that contributes to psycho-oncology practice, or psychological aspects of palliative care.

This year it focuses on NHS England Cancer Programme – focus groups for psycho-oncologists on psychological harm of waiting for cancer diagnostics and treatment.

It is available to trainee clinical, counselling or health psychologists.

What is the award?

  • Certificate of the award
  • £700 to be used towards CPD or conference attendance or presentation.

What are the criteria?

  • Nominees should be current trainee clinical psychologists, or have completed training within the last two years at the time of nomination
  • Nominations should refer to research undertaken as part of the nominee's doctoral studies (either small-scale or doctoral research). The research may be empirical or a systematic literature review.
  • Available to trainee clinical, counselling or health psychologists.
  • The quality of the work should be outstanding
  • Notice should be taken of the contribution of the research to the advancement of clinical psychology practice in cancer and / or palliative care settings.

How will it be judged?

  • Applicants will need to be nominated. Any one person can nominate a psychologist.
  • The submissions will be judged by an awards committee that will consist of at least two faculty committee members.

What do I need to submit in the application?

Include the paper

Describe the contribution of the research to the development of practice in cancer or palliative care settings.

Committee

Chair: Vacant

Honorary Secretary: Vacant

Honorary Treasurer: Hilly Webb-Peploe

Committee Members:

  • Andrew Merwood
  • Anna Lagerdahl
  • Joanna Leverne
  • Lucy Grant
  • Sahil Suleman

Communications Officer: Vacant

DCP Representative: Helen Moffat

DCP Pre-Qualifications Representative: Vacant

If you would like to apply for any vacant positions, please complete a Statement of Interest form.

If you would like to find out if there are any other positions available, please contact the Member Networks Team.

Contact

The first point of contact for any queries regarding the work of the DCP Faculty for Oncology and Palliative Care should be the Member Network Services Team.

The Member Network Services team provides support to all our Member Networks.

Contact the Member Networks Team

Join

Apply to join the faculty (students, affiliates, e-subscribers)

Apply to join the faculty (graduate, chartered, and in-training members)

Membership of the Faculty for Oncology and Palliative Care is only open to members of the British Psychological Society.

There are three grades of faculty membership:

  • Full membership

    For psychologists who are Full Members of the Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP) and who work in or have an interest or expertise in the field of oncology and palliative care.

  • Affiliate membership

    For psychologists who are General (Pre-Training) and In-Training members of the Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP). Affiliate members may take part in discussions but may not vote.

  • Associate membership

    For General members of the Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP) and non-Division members. Associate members may take part in discussions but may not vote.

If you are not already a member, you can join the faculty at the same time as applying for membership of the society.

Apply to join the society

Benefits of belonging

Benefits of Faculty of Oncology and Palliative Care membership

The Faculty aims to promote a wider understanding of psychological work in oncology and palliative care settings by sharing information and supporting the interests of members in their activities. In addition they promote and supportadvances in psychosocial knowledge and research and raises awareness of cultural and other differences in oncology and palliative care.

Benefits include a membership announcement list, an online discussion forum and reduced rates at the Faculty annual conference.

Member Announcement Email List

The Faculty of Oncology and Palliative Care uses its membership announcement email list to inform its members of activities and initiatives that are relevant to their interests and to make requests for engagement on topical issues. 

By becoming a member of the Faculty you are automatically added to the announcement list.

To receive these emails you will need to:

  1. become a member of the Faculty of Oncology and Palliative Care
  2. opt into receiving email communication and provide a working email address

These preferences can be updated by logging into your member portal.

If you have any queries, please contact Member Network Services.

To assist us in responding to your query please make sure to include your membership number and quote 'Faculty of Oncology and Palliative Care announcement email' in the subject line.

Member Discussion Email List

To join the Member Discussion List please login to your member portal and click on the Preferences tile, where you'll be able to join the discussion list.

To receive discussion list emails you will need to be 

  • a member of the DCP Faculty for Oncology and Palliative Care
  • opted into receiving email communication from the Society (you can change your preference by logging onto your account via the member portal)  

Getting involved with Faculty of Oncology and Palliative Care

The Faculty of Oncology and Palliative Care relies on a wide range of people getting involved, and the work of the Faculty is largely achieved through the dedication of unpaid volunteers.

Our volunteers come from a wide range of different backgrounds, whether they be practitioners or academics, or full members or in-training members, and together form an open and inclusive community.