NHS prehab and rehab: England, Scotland, Wales, NI

The short version

  • NHS prehabilitation (before treatment) and rehabilitation (after treatment) services vary across the UK, and between hospitals.
  • Ask your breast care nurse what’s available where you’re treated. It’s worth asking early, as prehab works best before treatment starts.
  • England’s National Cancer Plan makes prehab and rehab core parts of cancer care, with national quality standards from 2027.1

England

  • England’s National Cancer Plan (February 2026) embeds prehabilitation and rehabilitation as core components of cancer care, includes a commitment to access to prehabilitation through a digital tool, and introduces national quality standards for prehab and rehab from 2027.1
  • Services currently vary by area. Examples include:
  • Prehab4Cancer in Greater Manchester: a free exercise, nutrition and wellbeing programme run in local leisure facilities.2
  • Kent and Medway: a telehealth-delivered home prehabilitation programme, designed by the QuestPrehab team and featured by NHS England.3
  • Other hospitals use digital programmes such as QuestPrehab.4
  • Cancer rehabilitation after treatment is usually through your hospital’s physiotherapy, lymphoedema, dietetics and psychology services. See what cancer rehabilitation is.

Scotland

  • Prehabilitation for Scotland has a national website, Prehab and Me, with information on activity and exercise, eating well, mental wellbeing, alcohol and smoking to help you prepare for treatment.5
  • Ask your team about local prehab and rehab services.
  • People living with or beyond cancer in Scotland can use Sleepio and Daylight free.6

Wales

  • Prehab2Rehab, developed by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, offers people preparing for cancer treatment support tailored to their needs, which may include exercise classes, diet guidance and mental wellbeing support.7
  • Services differ between health boards, so ask your team.

Northern Ireland

  • The Northern Ireland Cancer Network has published a regional Cancer Prehabilitation Toolkit.8
  • Some councils and health trusts run Macmillan Move More physical activity programmes.9

Questions to ask your team

  • Is there a prehab or rehab programme for people with breast cancer here?
  • Can I be referred to physiotherapy, a dietitian, or psychological support?
  • Are there exercise classes for people with cancer nearby?

A personalised option: QuestPrehab

If your hospital doesn’t offer a programme, you can still get personalised support. QuestPrehab’s digital programme, used by NHS hospitals,4 is also open to individuals: you can refer yourself for prehab before treatment, or join QuestPrehab Recover after treatment for £199.10 It covers exercise, nutrition, mind and sleep. Read our QuestPrehab guide. Why we mention QuestPrehab.

Free support, wherever you live

Related pages

References

  1. Department of Health and Social Care. National Cancer Plan for England. February 2026. Summary of prehabilitation commitments as reported by the Royal College of Anaesthetists and Centre for Perioperative Care. rcoa.ac.uk/news/rcoa-cpoc-respond-release-governments-national-cancer-plan
  2. Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance. Prehab4Cancer. gmcancer.org.uk/prehab4cancer/
  3. NHS England Transformation Directorate. Kent and Medway prehabilitation: telehealth-delivered home-based patient optimisation (Perioperative digital playbook). transform.england.nhs.uk/key-tools-and-info/digital-playbooks/perioperative-digital-playbook/Kent-and-Medway-prehabilitation-telehealth-delivered-home-based-patient-optimisation
  4. QuestPrehab. QuestPrehab for the NHS. Accessed November 2026. questprehab.com/nhs/
  5. NHS Scotland. Prehabilitation for Scotland: Prehab and Me. www.prehab.nhs.scot/
  6. Macmillan Cancer Support. Big Health apps: Sleepio and Daylight, free for anyone living with or beyond cancer in the UK. orders.macmillan.org.uk/products/bighealth-big-health-apps
  7. Public Health Wales. Evaluation of Prehab2Rehab (Cardiff and Vale University Health Board). September 2025. phw.nhs.wales/reports/evaluation-of-prehab2rehab/
  8. Macmillan Prehabilitation Clinical Project Managers NI and Northern Ireland Cancer Network. Cancer Prehabilitation Toolkit. nican.hscni.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Regional-Cancer-Prehabilitation-Toolkit.pdf
  9. Southern Health and Social Care Trust. Macmillan Move More. southerntrust.hscni.net/your-health/health-improvement/471-2/macmillan-move-more/
  10. QuestPrehab. QuestPrehab Recover: personalised cancer rehabilitation. Accessed November 2026. questprehab.com/recover/