Supportive care for patients with cancer is becoming increasingly important, with advances in care meaning more people are surviving and living with cancer. Speaking from the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) 20th Annual Symposium 2017 in Glasgow, UK, Richard Berman, FRCP from The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK discusses the importance of supportive care in cancer to healthcare professionals and provides an overview of the new Enhanced Supportive Care initiative being run by NHS England.