Introduction
Numbers of cancer survivors are increasing in Australia. Survivors report physical, psycho-social and practical concerns that are not routinely addressed by health services. Specifically, reduced self-efficacy in recognising new symptoms and fully engaging in life after cancer, are commonly reported (1). Whilst survivorship care plans are increasingly being provided to assist medical care coordination, there is a need to trial care plans that incorporate a self-management approach; targeting self-efficacy and utilising individualised wellbeing goals (2).

Aims
1. Resource cancer survivors to more independently manage their post-treatment health and optimise their sense of wellbeing.
2. Build health professional awareness of common issues facing survivors.
3. Educate cancer professionals to promote increased self-management abilities in their patients.

Method
130 participants will be recruited from four tumour groups across three health services. Participants will develop a ‘Health and Wellbeing Plan’ with support from a health professional. The plan includes: a short cancer treatment summary, distress thermometer screening, identification of concerns, and a wellbeing goal setting component.
Copies of the plan are shared with participants, GPs and a Nurse HELPLINE service. The HELPLINE nurses provide telephone support 4 weeks, 4 months and 8 months following initial plan development.

Participating health professionals are educated in techniques to promote patient self-management.

Using pre and post implementation measures this project will evaluate:
• acceptability, usability and sustainability of the intervention
• impact on participants’ ability to self-manage their health
• effectiveness of the training provided to health professionals.

Results
Recruitment for this project has commenced. This poster will provide an overview of the study design, process for designing the intervention and progress to date.

1 M Jeffard, E Karahalios, A Pollard, C Baravelli, et al., ‘Survivorship issues following treatment completion-results from focus groups with Australian cancer survivors and health professionals’, J Cancer Survivorship,
Vol 2, 2008, pp.20-32.
2 Self-Management Workstream, National Cancer Survivorship Initiative, Self-management support for cancer survivors: guidance for developing interventions, Macmillan Cancer Support, 2010