A CHARITY has invested more than £200,000 to ease pressure on cancer care at hospitals in the York trust.

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

To address the issue of a lack of nurses, Macmillan has launched a 'Cancer Nurse Specialist Workforce Development Programme' -  investing almost £4.5 million across Yorkshire and the North East of England, including into two specialist cancer nurse development posts at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The charity is working in partnership with the York and Scarborough Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and has invested around £213,000 to fund two specialist cancer nurse development 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.

Laura Milburn, deputy associate chief operating officer and head of cancer at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialist is a role that requires clinical expertise, collaborative and innovative leadership, and advanced communication and assessment skills, all underpinned by a foundation of compassion and care - and we know we urgently need more of them to meet the rising demand on our services.

“Undoubtedly the Macmillan investment into development roles will ease the pressure on the specialist cancer care we are able to provide for patients by creating more capacity, it will also allow the successful candidates the training time and space to develop into the specialist roles, ensuring we’re bringing the brightest and best into our cancer nursing services, as well as developing the cancer nursing leadership of the future.”

Macmillan state that the crisis in cancer caring has left more than half a million people with cancer in the UK, around 630,000 people, 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.

Heather McLean, Macmillan’s Head of Partnerships for the North, said: “Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialists are the people at the heart of 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.”

You can help Macmillan raise vital funds and awareness to support specialist cancer care in Yorkshire by visiting: macmillan.org.uk