A simple shift in cancer support, one concern at a time
At Gloucestershire Hospitals, we are committed to ensuring that the cancer care patients receive is truly centred around them. That’s why we have partnered with Macmillan to develop and pilot a new, simpler patient-led tool called 'My Concerns'
May 2026 update: My Concerns developments
We are continuing to develop and improve the My Concerns approach, based on feedback from patients, carers and staff. These updates are part of our ongoing work with Macmillan to make personalised cancer support more accessible, flexible and patient-led.
New translations available
The My Concerns form is now available in Polish and Russian, helping more people to access support in a way that feels comfortable for them.
Further translations are planned and will be prioritised by Macmillan as part of their wider programme of work.
Introducing 'goal setting' (coming soon)
We are working with Macmillan to introduce a goal-setting option within My Concerns.
This is designed to support more positive, forward-looking conversations, particularly for people who may not identify with having 'concerns 'alone, but who would still like personalised support.
This is part of a wider ambition to make care planning feel more meaningful and relevant to more people.
We expect this feature to be available soon and will share further updates when it goes live.
Support for carers
A Carer Concerns form is now available, closely aligned to My Concerns, with small wording changes to reflect the needs of carers.
This allows carers to:
- Share what is important to them
- Highlight any support they may need
- Be recognised as part of the wider care experience
These developments support our ongoing aim to ensure that everyone affected by cancer feels heard and can access the right support in a way that works for them.
About My Concerns
We have been using this form since August 2025, and over the next few months we will be continuing to work with patients, carers and community groups to help us refine and co-design a final version.
Why are we doing this?
We know that living with and beyond cancer involves more than medical treatment. Concerns about fatigue, emotional wellbeing, financial pressures, relationships or day-to-day practicalities can all affect quality of life. The pilot for My Concerns will look to replace the existing Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA) with a simpler form.
The My Concerns form is a way of giving people with cancer a direct voice in their care - to share what is on their mind and what support might be helpful.
By piloting this tool and asking for people’s experiences and suggestions, we aim to:
- make it quicker and more accessible for people to share their concerns
- prompt more meaningful conversations between people and their care team
- use feedback to co-design the best possible version for everyone in the future
We hope that, as we review feedback from these three months, we can refine the tool, improve how it’s used and roll out the best version more widely.
What is the My Concerns form?
It is a way for people with cancer to tell their hospital team how they are feeling and what help they might need. It is not just about illness or treatment and it can also cover things like:
- feeling worried, tired or sad
- concerns about finances
- relationships
- needing help at home or at work
It's important that people with a cancer diagnosis can get the care they need, when they need it. Feedback from people with cancer will help shape a tool that better supports them and ensures their voices are heard. By testing this over three months with people’s help, we can ensure the final version really works for them and reflects what matters in everyday life.
“We wanted to make it easier for people to tell us how they are feeling, what their worries are and what support they might need - not just medically, but holistically.”
Oliver Warner, Lead Cancer Support Worker
My Concerns form
The My Concerns form is an important part of cancer care because it helps us understand how people are feeling, as well as what support they might need and when. The form is designed to be simple, clear and easy for everyone to understand.
We want to know:
- Was the My Concerns form easy to understand?
- Did anything confuse you?
- Was anything missing?
- How could we make it better?
Your thoughts and ideas are important to us, and your feedback will help us improve the look and flow of this important form.
If you have any feedback or would like more information, please email us ghn-tr.cancerservices.prg@nhs.net