Patient navigator impact

Being diagnosed with blood cancer can be overwhelming, and many patients have questions about their condition, treatment and the support available to them. Patient Navigators work alongside healthcare teams to provide practical and emotional support at key moments in the patient journey.

Navigators help patients understand their diagnosis and treatment options, and they provide guidance on the support services available through Leukaemia Care and other organisations. They also act as a link between patients, families and healthcare professionals, helping people access the help they need.

In 2025, our Patient Navigators supported 921 patients across 19 hospitals in the UK, providing more than 2,500 appointments to patients and families.

Feedback from patients shows the value of this support. More than 70% of patients said they felt more confident thanks to their navigator, and almost 90% said they knew more about where to get additional help and support.

By providing support within hospitals, the Patient Navigator programme helps ensure that patients can access information, guidance and reassurance when they need it most.

Leukaemia Care commissioned an evaluation of the Patient Navigator programme to better understand how the service supports people affected by blood cancer and the wider benefits it brings to patients, healthcare teams and society.

The evaluation was carried out with support from students at the University of Oxford and social value specialists Moore Kingston Smith. It included surveys with patients, interviews with Patient Navigators, feedback from nurses and analysis of the wider social value created by the programme.

What patients told us

Patients who had received support from a Patient Navigator reported clear improvements in their experience of care.

The evaluation found that:

• 71% of patients felt more emotionally supported
• 71% felt more confident asking questions or raising concerns with their healthcare team
• 66% felt more able to manage their condition day to day
• 90% said their care felt well coordinated
• 88% said they now know where to turn for additional help

These results show that Patient Navigators help people feel more informed, more confident and better supported throughout their treatment journey.

Supporting healthcare teams

Nurses working alongside Patient Navigators reported that the role improves the experience of care for patients.

Healthcare professionals said Navigators:

• provide valuable emotional and psychosocial support
• spend dedicated time with patients that clinical staff often cannot
• improve engagement with patients
• help reduce workload pressure on specialist nurses
• integrate effectively into hospital care pathways.

Wider impact

The evaluation also examined the wider social and economic value created by the programme.

It found that:

• every £1 invested in the Navigator programme creates £35.72 in social value
• if the benefits last for two years, this increases to £57.76 for every £1 invested
• the programme could deliver significant savings for the healthcare system by allowing nurses to focus on clinical care.

The research also showed that many people supported by the programme live in more deprived areas, suggesting the service may help reduce health inequalities.