Allied health professional’s self-reported competences and confidence to deliver physical activity advice to cancer patients at a single Centre in England

Abstract

Purpose

Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are well placed to deliver physical activity advice but this is currently not routine clinical practice. Increasing evidence demonstrates physical activity can improve quality-of-life for people affected by cancer, enable behaviour change, improve survival and reduce long-term treatment effects. We aimed to understand AHPs’ current knowledge and practice in advising about physical activity.

Materials and methods

AHPs’ self-reported knowledge, competency and training needs in managing physical effects of cancer, and the merits of physical activity data were collected via an online survey. The survey link was cascaded electronically to all NHS and NHS-affiliated AHPs working across several generic and non-cancer-specific healthcare interfaces across one city in England.

Results

Eighty AHPs responded. Forty-one percent of AHPs had patients with current or past diagnoses of cancer. Overall, AHPs reported low confidence in giving physical activity advice, with physiotherapists the most confident. 60% of respondents identified training needs concerning the impact of cancer.

Conclusions

Although the merits of physical activity for people affected by cancer is clearly evidenced, low levels of AHP confidence and competence in discussing this topic limit patients’ awareness and access to services. Addressing this confidence and competence has potential to improve patient outcome.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• People affected by cancer frequently experience disease and treatment-related impacts which can be detrimental to physical health and well-being

• Physical activity, can restore aspects of physical health and quality of life before, during and after cancer treatment

• People affected by cancer have frequent points of contact with Allied Health Professionals throughout the cancer pathway and beyond via a variety of rehabilitation services

• With increased confidence, Allied Health Professionals have the potential to “make every contact count” by providing physical activity advice and information to people affected by cancer across a variety of rehabilitation settings

• Training opportunities and bespoke learning and development offers may provide the platform for improving Allied Health Professional competences and confidence to deliver physical activity advice to people affected by cancer

• Improving Allied Health Professional skills, knowledge and confidence for people affected by cancer has the potential to influence patient outcomes

Keywords:

• Physical activity
• rehabilitation
• cancer
• Allied Health Professional (AHP)
• people affected by cancer

Acknowledgements

The authors thanks to Weston Park Cancer Charity for funding this study; to Rev Dr Mark Cobb, Clinical Director of Professional Services and his team at Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for supporting this study and facilitating electronic survey distribution; to the AHPs for completing the survey.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from Dr Rebecca Robinson upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Weston Park Cancer Charity (CA158).