Cancer rehab in London: NHS, charity and specialist options

How do I get cancer rehab in London?

Start with your clinical nurse specialist (CNS) or another member of your hospital cancer team. They can refer you to prehab or rehab if your hospital or local area runs a service, and they will know which local programmes you can use.

Macmillan explains that your CNS "is usually your main contact at the hospital. They are called your key worker" [2], and that you can be referred to prehabilitation "if there is a prehabilitation service within your hospital or local area" [1]. If you do not have a CNS, ask your doctor whether there is a nurse specialist you can talk to [2].

Questions to take to your next appointment:

• Does this hospital run prehab or rehab for my type of cancer?
• Which Cancer Alliance covers the hospital where I am treated?
• Is it safe for me to be more active now, and is there anything I should avoid?
• Can you refer me to a dietitian, a physiotherapist or a local cancer exercise class?

Request a match with a verified clinical exercise physiologist through The Health Nav

London's four Cancer Alliances

A Cancer Alliance brings together patients, hospital trusts, GPs, health service commissioners and local authorities to improve cancer outcomes and care [4]. Four cover London, and together they run Cancer Wellbeing London, a website with health and wellbeing events across the capital on eating well, exercise, complementary therapy and care planning [13].

• North Central London Cancer Alliance covers Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington [4]. One of its aims is for people "to access timely, appropriate psychological support and pre/rehabilitation at any point" [5].
• North East London Cancer Alliance points people to Maggie's for prehab support across north east London [6], through Maggie's Barts at St Bartholomew's Hospital [7].
• RM Partners, the alliance for west London, covers "north west and south west London" [9].
• South East London Cancer Alliance includes Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital, and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS trusts [10].

Hospital rehab and prehab teams in London

The South East London alliance describes cancer rehabilitation as support for people with cancer "to get well and stay well, using a range of tools to help people prepare for treatment and to support with any symptoms or concerns that may develop" [12]. London examples:

• Royal Free London (north central London). The PREPARE pilot "delivers in-person group health and wellbeing sessions to support individuals to prepare for cancer treatment", covering eating well, keeping physically active, emotional wellbeing and managing side effects and late effects [5]. Ask your team whether the pilot is running and whether you can join.
• Guy's and St Thomas' (south east London). If you live in south east London or were treated at Guy's and St Thomas', you can contact the cancer (oncology) physiotherapy team directly about exercising safely; contact details are on the alliance's physical activity page. The same page links to the Guy's Cancer Academy online module "Being Active When You're Living With Cancer", in English and 14 other languages [11].
• The Royal Marsden. A Chartered Society of Physiotherapy case study (last reviewed February 2023) describes a physiotherapy service running from prehab to rehab during and after treatment, where cancer exercise specialists work alongside physiotherapists: physiotherapists cover the disease, pain and warning signs, and exercise specialists bring exercise physiology [14].

Other London hospitals run their own services; your CNS can tell you what yours offers. Our guide to the cancer rehabilitation team explains who does what, and our London guide to clinical exercise physiology covers that profession in the capital.

Where can I get cancer prehab in London?

Ask your hospital team first, because NHS cancer prehabilitation is arranged through them. Maggie's also runs prehab sessions at its Barts and Royal Free centres, and weekly prehab workshops at Maggie's West London and Maggie's at The Royal Marsden for people treated in north west and south west London.

• Maggie's Barts (north east London). Its prehab sessions "help you become more physically active and emotionally resilient before treatment" [16]. You can join through the centre or just come in [7].
• Maggie's Royal Free (north central London). Runs "Getting Started" workshops about your treatment, in partnership with your hospital team, alongside prehab sessions [17].
• Maggie's West London and Maggie's at The Royal Marsden. With RM Partners, these centres run a weekly "Getting Yourself Ready" workshop that "focuses upon emotional, nutritional and physical activity support", in person or online, for patients, carers and family of people treated in north west and south west London [8].

These are group sessions; for an individual assessment and programme, ask your hospital team or see private help below. Our prehabilitation guide explains what prehab involves and what the trials show.

Are there cancer exercise classes in London?

Yes. RM Partners lists several cancer exercise classes and groups in west and south west London. You can join some yourself; others need a referral from a healthcare professional [9]. Listings checked October 2026.

• Lampton Leisure, Hounslow. "Classes to rebuild strength, confidence and wellbeing during and after cancer treatment". Self-referral [9].
• Places Leisure, Kingston and Wandsworth. "Stronger Together Prehab" and "Stronger Together Rehab" at selected leisure centres. You need a referral from a healthcare professional [9].
• Everyone Active, Sutton. Weekly cancer exercise classes at the David Weir Leisure Centre. Check the flyer on the RM Partners page for how to join [9].
• 5K Your Way. Groups for people affected by cancer to "walk, jog, run, cheer or volunteer at a parkrun" [19], with groups in Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Sutton, Hammersmith and Harrow [9].
• PureGym prostate cancer programme (UK-wide). Run with The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden, for men with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer who are on hormone therapy. It includes a year's gym membership and a 26-week video programme for home or the gym. You register through The Institute of Cancer Research [20].

Elsewhere in London, ask your CNS or check Cancer Wellbeing London events [13]. See what to expect from cancer exercise programmes, and our guides to breast cancer and prostate cancer exercise.

Charity support in London

Maggie's has four London centres: at St Bartholomew's Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, The Royal Marsden in Sutton and Charing Cross Hospital. Support is free, and "you don't need an appointment, just come in" [15]. Barts and Royal Free also run yoga, Tai Chi and walking groups [16][17].

Future Dreams House in King's Cross supports people affected by breast cancer. Its help includes nutrition, exercise and movement, and lymphoedema and mobility, and its one-to-one therapies include physiotherapy. "You do not need to be referred by your GP or treatment team." Some services may carry a charge, so check first [18]. See our guide to lymphoedema and exercise.

MOVE Against Cancer (online, anywhere in the UK) runs "a free 8-week one-to-one online support programme for 13-30 year olds living with & beyond cancer" [19].

Seeing a dietitian in London

On the NHS, you usually reach a dietitian through your hospital cancer team or GP, so ask your CNS for a referral. Dietitians who specialise in cancer are often called oncology dietitians.

The title matters. "Dietitian" is protected by law and requires registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) [21][22]; a "nutritionist" without "registered" in front is not regulated at all [21]. Physiotherapist is also a protected title [22]. Our guide to nutrition during cancer treatment covers what to eat and when to ask for help.

Can I self-refer to cancer rehab in London?

Partly. You can walk into any London Maggie's centre [15] or Future Dreams House [18] without a referral, and some leisure-centre classes, such as Lampton Leisure in Hounslow, take self-referrals [9]. NHS hospital prehab and rehab usually need a referral from your cancer team [1], and so do some classes, such as Places Leisure's Stronger Together [9].

In some areas you may be able to refer yourself to a physiotherapist [3]. If you live in south east London or were treated at Guy's and St Thomas', you can contact the cancer physiotherapy team directly [11].

Is cancer rehab free on the NHS in London?

NHS services are free of charge, except in limited circumstances sanctioned by Parliament [23], so prehab or rehab delivered by your NHS hospital team is free. If you are referred to a class run by a leisure centre or charity, ask the provider whether there is a cost.

The difficulty is availability: not every hospital runs a service for every type of cancer.

Can I see a cancer rehab specialist privately in London?

Yes. Private clinical exercise physiologists usually accept people without a referral. If you want one-to-one support alongside your NHS care, you can request a match through The Health Nav.

Macmillan describes a clinical exercise physiologist as "a healthcare professional who is an expert in screening, assessing and advising what physical activity is best for you and your situation" [3].

The Health Nav currently matches people with verified clinical exercise physiologists only. Sessions are in person in parts of south-west London and remote across the UK. Dietitians, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and Level 4 cancer rehabilitation instructors are important members of the wider cancer care team; you reach them through your NHS team, not through The Health Nav. Read what an exercise physiologist does during cancer treatment or our UK-wide cancer rehabilitation guide.

Talk to your oncology team first

Tell your cancer team before you start any new exercise programme. Macmillan advises: "It is best to talk to your cancer doctor, specialist nurse or GP if you are new to exercising or if you have any concerns before you start exercising" [3]. The South East London alliance puts it simply: "If you're not sure if it's safe for you to exercise, speak to your cancer doctor" [11].

Some situations need specific advice before you join a gym, pool or class. If you have cancer in the bones, speak to your healthcare team before starting any exercise, because high-impact activity raises the risk of breaking a bone [24]. While your white blood cell count is low, your cancer doctor might advise you to avoid busy public places such as swimming pools or gyms; if your platelets are low, exercise gently [24]. If you have a central line or PICC line, avoid swimming because of the risk of infection [24], and if you have a port, ask your team what is safe.

If you see a private specialist, share their plan with your CNS so everyone works from the same information.