Cancer nurse numbers short of care target, says charity

The number of clinical nurse specialists in Northern Ireland needs to almost double if it is to meet a proposal to pair cancer patients with their own nurse, a charity has said.

Macmillan Cancer Support said the workforce is in crisis across the UK due to Covid-19.

Modelling by the charity suggests 207 clinical nurse specialists would be needed here by 2030.

That is an increase of 100 on the current workforce.

A 10-year cancer strategy is out for consultation in Northern Ireland.

One of its aims is that every cancer patient will have a named nurse for support throughout their journey.

'She took the place of my family'

Ita Hall, from the village of Derrytrasna in County Armagh, had family and friends to support her when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer in February 2020.

She went into hospital for surgery just as lockdown began, and as she attended chemo and radiotherapy sessions afterwards, it was her clinical nurse specialist Karen who became her surrogate family.

"It was just nice having that person who was constantly there," said the mother-of-four.

Ita Hall says her nurse, Karen, was her support when her family couldn't be there

"At that time, my husband and my family weren't allowed to come in because of the restrictions, and you didn't always have the same consultant each time, so it was nice to have Karen there at every single appointment.

"And I felt she sort of took the place of my family, she was my support mechanism.

"Without her, my anxiety levels would have been sky-high, to be perfectly honest.

"She kept me sane, she reassured me. It was just so nice to have that support when I needed it."

'Everyone should have one'

Ita's latest scan showed no sign of cancer and she is attending three-monthly reviews.

"I have met other people who haven't had access to a specialist nurse, and their journeys have been so different to mine," she said.

"But I would like everyone to receive the care that I did, and I would like everyone to have access to a specialist cancer nurse."

A Department of Health (DoH) spokeswoman said it was committed to investing in clinical nurse specialists (CNS) roles through the postgraduate nursing education budget and implementing the recommendations of the Nursing and Midwifery Task Group report.

"The department, in partnership with MacMillan and HSC [Health and Social Care] is currently undertaking a CNS survey which will inform the cancer strategy in relation to workforce requirements.

"This will of course be subject to additional funding to the DoH," she added.