Macmillan invests £200,000 in cancer nurse roles at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals

The charity is warning that too many people in the North of England cannot access specialist cancer care, with too few Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialists employed across the region, and over one third of specialist nurses approaching retirement nationally.

Macmillan states that this “crisis in cancer nursing” has left more than half a million people with cancer in the UK - 21%; 630,000 - with a lack of dedicated support. The charity estimates that the specialist cancer workforce needs an extra 2,500 specialist cancer nurses now, with this figure expected to rise to 3,700 by 2030.

To address this issue the charity has launched the ‘Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialist Workforce Development Programme’, investing almost £4.5 million across Yorkshire and the North East of England, and includes the two specialist cancer nurse development positions at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Dewsbury and District Hospital, Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield and Pontefract Hospital.

Macmillan has invested over £200,000 to fund the two posts. These are nurses with an interest in moving into cancer services, who have the experience, the potential and most importantly the passion to step into this highly specialised role.

Keely Clawson, the Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “When Macmillan suggested the idea of this programme I jumped at the chance to be involved. It’s a unique opportunity to train and develop the workforce of the future.

“Undoubtedly the Macmillan investment into the development roles will ease pressure on the specialist cancer care we are able to provide for patients by creating more capacity.

Heather McLean, Macmillan’s Head of Partnerships for the North, said: “Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialists are at the heart of good cancer care, this unique role makes a huge difference to people diagnosed with cancer and their families at a very distressing time in their lives.

“There are currently a huge number of specialist cancer nurse vacancies across Yorkshire because it’s increasingly difficult to get people with the right knowledge and skills, who are ready to step into those specialist nursing posts.”