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A Holistic Needs Assessment can help you identify and address the needs and concerns of people living with cancer to develop a Personalised Care and Support Plan.

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A Holistic Needs Assessment usually has three parts:

• A questionnaire for patients
  This allows patients rate their concerns by giving them a score out of ten. These can be answered on paper (with an HNA Concerns Checklist) or electronically (with an electronic Holistic Needs Assessment). It usually takes 10 minutes for patients to complete the assessment.

• A conversation to discuss the answers
  This is an opportunity to talk about your patient's needs and concerns, which may be physical, emotional, practical, financial or spiritual. Your patient may like to bring a carer, family member or friend to this meeting if they find it helpful. The conversation usually lasts around 20 minutes.

• You create a care plan together
  You can now develop a Personalised Care and Support Plan to help address your patient's concerns. This can include information to help people self-manage, along with contact details of any helpful organisations or services. You can give patients a copy of their care plan to take away with them.