Screening and earlier diagnosis
Non-clinical support workers play a vital role in helping patients navigate their care, access services at the right time, and feel supported between appointments.
Why These Roles Matter
When integrated effectively, non-clinical support roles can make a real difference, improving patient experience and outcomes while helping practices meet key targets such as the Directed Enhanced Services (DES) and Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).
The Roles
Some of the most common additional support roles within primary and community care. Each brings unique skills and focus, working alongside clinical teams to keep patients informed, connected, and supported throughout their journey.
Cancer Care Coordinator
"We're that friendly voice at the end of the phone when people feel worried or confused."
Cancer Care Coordinators guide patients through the cancer pathway — helping them understand what's next, keeping things on track, and linking everyone up along the way.
Key Contributions:
- Coordinates care between primary, community, and hospital teams
- Tracks patients through tests and referrals to prevent delays
- Provides a single, reliable point of contact
- Frees clinicians from administrative follow-ups
Health and Wellbeing Coach
"When people feel confident and in control, they cope better with treatment."
Health and Wellbeing Coaches support people to make healthy, sustainable changes that prepare them for treatment and recovery.
Key Contributions:
- Builds patient confidence and motivation
- Supports lifestyle and wellbeing changes
- Promotes self-management before, during, and after treatment
- Reduces repeat visits by empowering patients to take charge of their health
Social Prescribing Link Worker
Hear from Gay about her role as a Social Prescribing Link Worker
By tackling barriers outside the clinic, patients can focus more on their health."
Social Prescribing Link Workers connect patients to practical, emotional, and community support that helps them manage everyday life.
Key Contributions:
- Links patients to social, emotional, and practical support
- Reduces barriers like transport, language, or isolation
- Helps improve screening attendance and engagement
- Supports holistic, person-centred care across the pathway
Integrating These Roles Into Your Setting
Non-clinical roles across primary, secondary and community settings play a vital and often under-recognised role in supporting patients, clinical teams and wider health initiatives. These examples within South East London show just how effective these roles can be in supporting patients, strengthening teams and driving key health initiatives, particularly in cancer care.
By coordinating pathways, improving access, and offering practical and emotional support, non-clinical staff enhance patient experience while easing pressure on clinical services.
Cancer Navigator - Sarah
As a Cancer Navigator, I guide patients through every step of their cancer journey. From diagnosis to treatment and beyond, I help coordinate appointments, explain complex medical information, and ensure no one feels lost in the system.
Keeping the pathway on track
Before introducing a Cancer Care Coordinator, one practice found that chasing referrals and missed appointments often fell to GPs, causing delays. Once in post, the coordinator took ownership of tracking patients through the referral and diagnostic process. In one case, she rebooked a missed oncology appointment within a week — avoiding a four-week delay and saving the GP multiple follow-up calls.
Cancer Support Worker - James
My role as a Cancer Support Worker is to provide emotional and practical support to patients and their families. Whether it's accompanying someone to chemotherapy or simply being there to listen, I help make the cancer experience less overwhelming.
Breaking down barriers
Previously, missed screening invites were simply re-sent, with little time to understand why patients didn't attend. After recruiting a Social Prescribing Link Worker, the team began identifying real barriers. For one new patient to the UK, interpreter support, transport and a link to a local women's group made all the difference. She attended her screening, and uptake improved among similar patients.
Therapy Assistant - Priya
As a Therapy Assistant, I support rehabilitation and recovery for cancer patients. I work alongside physiotherapists and occupational therapists to help patients regain strength, mobility, and independence during and after treatment.
Lifestyle Medicine for Cancer Prevention and Care
The Lifestyle Medicine Service in Lewisham is run by Health and Wellbeing coaches, they deliver both one-to-one and group sessions for people covering all six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine (nutrition, physical activity, mental wellbeing, social connection, restorative sleep and reduction in risky behaviours). Lifestyle Medicine can be a powerful tool in preventing cancer, but also for patients with a cancer diagnosis - to help reduce symptom burden, improve prognosis and quality of life.
Digital & Transformation Lead - Kessica Osagie-Gwa, Crays PCN
As a Digital Transformation Lead, I support Primary Care Networks to identify and plan improvements, deliver quality improvement projects, and help staff at all levels implement change. I love this role because I get to make a real difference in patient care and health equity. For example, with The Crays Collaborative PCN, we focused on increasing breast and bowel cancer screening and PSA testing among underserved and BAME populations, aiming to reduce health inequalities. By coordinating community outreach, educational events, social media campaigns, and targeted communication like text messages and posters, I helped raise awareness and engagement with cancer prevention services. Seeing measurable outcomes like higher screening rates and fewer non-responders shows the impact of our work and keeps me motivated to keep improving systems and patient experiences.
For more detailed guidance on implementing personalised care roles including Care Coordinators, Health and Wellbeing Coaches, and Social Prescribing Link Workers in your practice, visit the NHS England resource hub.
Developing Knowledge and Confidence Around Cancer
These tools are designed to help you grow in your role, strengthen your understanding of cancer, and feel more confident supporting patients and colleagues.
Interactive Cancer Support Toolkit
A practical resource to help you develop your skills and knowledge around cancer care. It walks you through the entire cancer pathway - from prevention and screening, to diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment support.
Join the SELCA Community of Practice
This network brings together non-clinical staff from across primary, community, and secondary care to share ideas, learn from one another, and showcase best practice.
NHS Supervision Guidance
This useful guidance supports primary care networks (PCNs) and GP practices to provide effective supervision for their growing multidisciplinary teams (MDTs).
Aspirant Cancer Career Education and Development Framework (ACCEND)
The ACCEND Framework, developed by NHS England, provides non-clinical staff with a structured approach to cancer care, outlining essential knowledge, capabilities, and clear learning pathways to build confidence and competence.
Benefits of Joining the Community of Practice
- Access development opportunities and peer learning
- Share challenges and success stories from your role
- Get inspiration for new projects and improvements
- Connect with colleagues across South East London