Last year, we joined NHS colleagues across London for a conference to celebrate the fantastic contribution that Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) and Psychological Therapists play in supporting the health, wellbeing and quality of life of people living with cancer.
The Pan-London Cancer AHP and Psychological Therapies Conference, which was held on 16th October 2025, brought together over 120 professionals. The event -which we organised in partnership with the three other London Cancer Alliances - provided a rare and valuable opportunity for AHPs including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians and speech & language therapists to come together with colleagues working across psychological therapies to learn, network and be inspired.
Conference Themes
The day was structured around several key themes that reflect NHS priority areas for this workforce within cancer care, including Prehabilitation, Physical Activity, and the Aspirant Cancer Career and Education Development (ACCEND) Framework.
Expert speakers from across the UK shared insights, evidence and examples of best practice in these areas.
Attendees enjoyed a mixture of oral presentations, “quick-fire five” talks and poster presentations showcasing service improvement, innovation and quality initiatives delivered by London AHPs and psychological therapists.
The day concluded with a powerful and reflective session entitled “Looking After Ourselves – Compassionate Mind: A Helpful Tool for Working in a Threat-Filled System.” The session was a timely reminder of the importance of wellbeing and self-compassion in sustaining a workforce who care for others.
ACCEND
The Aspirant Cancer Career and Education Development (ACCEND) Framework is a nationally agreed multi-level education and career pathway for AHPs, psychological therapists, nurses and cancer support roles. It provides clear guidance on the skills, capabilities and knowledge required to deliver high-quality cancer care.
The event offered an introduction to the framework alongside practical examples of implementation across the country.
Feedback from attendees demonstrated how valuable this focus on ACCEND was, with many expressing new confidence and motivation to embed it into practice:
“Learning more about the ACCEND Framework and how we might use it has been really useful.”
“It was inspiring to hear how ACCEND is slowly becoming integrated – lots of ideas we can take back.”
Prehabilitation
Prehabilitation is an increasingly important component of modern cancer care. It involves actively preparing people with cancer for treatment by optimising their physical, nutritional and psychological health. Evidence shows that effective prehabilitation can lead to better treatment tolerance, fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and improved long-term recovery.
AHPs and psychological therapists play a central role in delivering this support, offering tailored support to helps patients improve fitness, build resilience and feel more in control ahead of treatment.
We were pleased to welcome an expert speaker who delivered an engaging session on the new Macmillan Prehabilitation Guidelines. The speaker outlined the latest national recommendations and how they can be embedded into local pathways across London. This was particularly well received by delegates:
“All the presentations on prehab, cancer and exercise were excellent.”
“The session on the new prehab guidelines stood out — I’m about to pilot a sarcoma prehab programme, so it was incredibly timely and useful.”
Physical Activity
Physical activity is a crucial element of personalised cancer care and was another key theme at the conference. Increasing evidence shows that maintaining or improving activity levels before, during and after cancer treatment can lead to better physical function, reduced treatment side effects, improved mental wellbeing and enhanced overall quality of life.
The conference explored how physical activity can be integrated across the cancer pathway, highlighted innovative service models and encouraged discussions about building consistent, equitable and evidence-based approaches across London.
Highlights from the Day
A defining strength of the conference was the energy created by bringing AHPs and psychological therapists together from across London. Many delegates commented on the value of attending an event dedicated specifically to their contributions in cancer care.
Attendees particularly valued the rich opportunities for networking, peer learning and sharing ideas across organisations. Many spoke about the benefits of connecting with colleagues in similar roles, comparing service models, and gaining inspiration from innovative work taking place across London.
Evaluation results reflected the overwhelmingly positive experience with 91% reporting they would attend a future event and 88% rating the conference as very satisfactory or outstanding.
Delegates captured this spirit of inspiration and collaboration:
“Such a great day! I’ve met some great people, learnt loads, and I’m heading back to work feeling really inspired.”
“I work in a lone oncology outpatient post, so it was brilliant to be in a room full of passionate AHPs and hear all the amazing work going on. I’ve met some great people, learnt loads, and I’m heading back to work feeling really inspired.”
“So many conferences barely touch on the work done by AHPs or psychological therapies — it’s brilliant to have one fully dedicated to our work in cancer care and to connect with like-minded professionals.”
Looking Ahead
Cheryl Tackie - South East London Cancer Alliance Patient Partner and Chair of the NHSE National Cancer Programme Patient Partner Voice Forum - supported opening and closing the conference. Cheryl thanked everyone in the room for all they do to support people with cancer and the impact it can have on patients’ lives: “You bring a ray of sunshine to the darkness out there for us patients.”
The success of this year’s Pan-London Cancer AHP and Psychological Therapies Conference highlights the passion, expertise and commitment of these vital workforces in improving cancer care.
We look forward to continuing to strengthen collaboration, embed best practice and champion the role of AHPs and psychological therapies across the cancer pathway in the future.