NI Health: Cancer patient numbers may rise by 40% by 2030

The number of people living with cancer in Northern Ireland is expected to rise by 40% by 2030, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.

There are an estimated 82,000 people living with the disease but this could go up to 114,000 in eight years.

The charity called for urgent investment to mitigate "against a deepening workforce crisis".

It said a functioning Stormont executive was crucial to ensure workforce planning happens.

Macmillan Cancer Support, in partnership with the Department of Health (DoH), commissioned a census of the nurses and support staff delivering cancer care in 2021.

This research maps the workforce by cancer type and locality.

The one-day snapshot was carried out on 17 September 2021 - at the time the health service was dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and unacceptable cancer waiting times, and also developing Northern Ireland's first cancer strategy.

It identified 754 posts across all five health trusts responsible for treating, supporting and managing the health and wellbeing of cancer patients for more than 50% of their time.

The charity said that means non-cancer nurses found that more than half of their working time was spent looking after people diagnosed with cancer.

Speaking to BBC News NI, Macmillan's head of partnerships in Northern Ireland, Janice Preston, said decisions around the workforce need to be made now to help patients in the future.

She also said there is a need for additional dedicated cancer nurses.

Cancer nurses are 'lifeline'

According to Macmillan, the census provides "timely and important evidence to inform strategic workforce planning".

Its findings bolster figures published by the charity in 2021, which found that an additional 100 clinical nurse specialists would be required by 2030.

Ms Preston said the latest report supports what they hear every day from cancer patients - that dedicated cancer nurses have been a "lifeline" for people living with cancer and their families

"It takes years to see the impact of investment in the front end of healthcare, which is why the report's recommendations must be addressed right now through urgent strategic investment," she said.

"The cancer nursing workforce has a key role to play in supporting services, particularly in the context of the pandemic.

"People living with cancer see at first hand the impact and value of the cancer nurse and support workforce every day - the system needs to catch up."

Ms Preston also urged politicians to ensure workforce planning in the health service was a priority.

"We have to see it as one of the biggest priorities for the decision makers to make a decision about that funding and I think the longer those decisions get held off the more difficult it will be to recover."

Other key findings of the report include:

• Almost a quarter (23%) of the overall cancer workforce is aged 50 or over

• 74% of adult cancer specialist nurses have had advanced communications skills training compared to only 14% of children, teenager and young adult cancer nurses

• Vacancy rates are lower than the Northern Ireland rate for nursing and midwifery (11%), however, they are significantly higher among cancer support workers (23.1%)

The report noted the adult cancer specialist nursing workforce has grown since the last census in 2014.

However it urges caution as it said there have been significant concerns including training challenges, funding barriers and high vacancy rates, which threaten the sustainability of an "invaluable workforce that is already under pressure to meet increasing demand".

The report makes six recommendations including suggestions around the strategic approach to succession planning and sustainability; a focus on skill mix and flexible working; identifying interest in cancer specialisation early in a nurses career; and opportunities for the training, development and retention of cancer nursing staff.