Psychological Care for Adults with Cancer

By Prof. Suzanne Chambers AO, Prof. Jeff Dunn AO and A/Prof. Nicole Heneka

Nurses, doctors and allied health professionals working in cancer know that understanding the psychological needs of patients is crucial for providing best-practice holistic care to ensure better patient survivorship. But how do you achieve successful integration of psychological care in oncology clinical settings when faced with an already overcrowded, stressful workday?

Low-intensity psychological interventions are a great answer. They’re inexpensive, accessible and support existing staff. Their use in a variety of health settings is recommended by the World Health Organization. They enhance a patient’s personal agency, encouraging them to manage their own lived experience to promote mastery of their wellbeing. In a cancer setting, this care level provides additional support for people experiencing mild to moderate distress. It provides direction on brief face-to-face sessions that can be integrated into routine medical appointments, making it easier for patients to receive support without the need for additional visits. During these sessions, healthcare providers can offer emotional support, teach coping strategies, and address any immediate psychological concerns. The brief nature of these interactions ensures that they are manageable for both patients and providers while still giving meaningful support. 

As highly experienced researchers and practitioners in the psychological and social aspects of cancer care, the authors use low-intensity psychological interventions to create ground-breaking resources to tackle the challenge of filling the gaps that remain in the accessibility and delivery of psychological support for cancer patients. Currently, across Australia over 200 nurses, psychologists , counselors, and GPs make use of these resources.  

The low-intensity psychological intervention based resources currently available to help health professionals working in cancer are:

The Health Professionals Guide to Delivering Psychological Care for Adults with Cancer

This resource is designed and targeted toward existing oncology staff in nursing, psychological care, and medical treatment. It supports health professionals with practical guidance and resources to increase their confidence in recognising and responding to their patients’ mental health concerns.

The Health Professionals Guide to Delivering Psychological Care for Men With Prostate Cancer

This is part of the Facing the Tiger psychological care approach for prostate cancer and supports nurses and other health professionals to provide practical, accessible psychological support as a part of the regular care they deliver to men with prostate cancer.

Facing the Tiger: A survivorship guide for men with prostate cancer and their partners

As part of the Facing the Tiger psychological care approach for prostate cancer, this patient self-help book focuses on the day-to-day worries and concerns of men with prostate cancer and their partners. It is the most sought-after patient resource for prostate cancer in Australia.