Wales is facing a cancer nursing crisis that could leave soaring numbers of patients without the right medical care and support, cancer charity Macmillan is warning.
A new report from Macmillan Cancer Support shows the number of specialist cancer nurses in Wales needs to increase by four fifths (80%) to support the 230,000 people predicted to be living with cancer in Wales by the end of the decade.
Macmillan’s new research shows that if the number of specialist cancer nurses stays at the current levels, that would leave a gap of 166 nurses in Wales.
The latest available figures show there are an estimated 207 cancer specialist nurses in Wales meaning numbers need to increase by 80 per cent to fill this gap.
Almost three quarters of breast cancer nurses (74%) and half of gynaecological cancer nurses in Wales are age 50 or over and so many will be due to retire over the same time period, with growing concerns even more could leave the profession due to the impact of Covid.
Recent polling for Macmillan found the workforce is already over-stretched with thousands of people with cancer in the UK missing out on specialist nursing care and facing potentially serious medical issues as a result.
Macmillan says unless there is urgent action to recruit and train more cancer nurses, including replacements for those who are retiring, people with cancer in Wales face being left to cope with cancer without the vital care the specialist nurses provide.
Richard Pugh, Head of Partnerships for Macmillan Cancer Support in Wales, said: “Macmillan’s new report shows that we need to increase the number of cancer nurses in Wales by 80 per cent by the end of the decade for cancer patients to get the right care and support.
“A cancer diagnosis affects so much more than someone’s health and without the right support people can experience unnecessary treatment side effects, financial hardship as well as practical and emotional challenges.
“We need the Welsh Government to invest in training cancer nurses urgently as well as committing to directing Health Education and Improvement Wales to develop a cancer workforce plan.
“We also need health boards and trusts to allow their nurses protected time and funding for training, including leadership training for nurses who are already specialists.
“Without urgent action, the growing number of people living with cancer in Wales simply won’t get the high-quality care and support they need.”
According to the new research, the cost of increasing these roles, and backfilling previous posts, in Wales is estimated to cost more than £22.4 million. The cost of training and developing specialist cancer nurses to deliver this increase is estimated at £12.2 million. That’s an estimated cost of £53 per person with cancer in Wales.
And it’s estimated that future employment costs for the additional 166 specialist cancer nurses in 2030 would be £10.2 million per year.
A lack of cancer nurses will have a serious impact on the health of people with cancer.
Polling for Macmillan found that one in five (21%) of those diagnosed with cancer in Wales in the past five years say they lacked specialist cancer nursing support during their diagnosis or treatment.
The impact on patients was significant with one in 10 (11%) of those diagnosed in the past five years – more than 6,000 people – experiencing at least one potentially serious medical implication as a result of a lack of support, such as ending up in A&E or not knowing if they were taking their medication correctly or what side-effects to look out for.
Across the UK, those who lacked specialist nursing support were also considerably more likely to experience depression or anxiety related to their cancer diagnosis, doubts about whether it was worth having their treatment, or even suicidal thoughts.
And the latest Wales Cancer Patient Experience Survey in Wales showed people with a named clinical nurse specialist reported a more positive experience for them and their families during and after their treatment.
Macmillan is calling on the Welsh Government to address the crisis through:
- Urgent investment in the cancer workforce.
- Committing to direct Health Education and Improvement Wales to develop a clear cancer workforce plan.
- Working with Health Education and Improvement Wales to create and fund an optimised career development pathway for general adult nurses to develop into clinical nurse specialists.
- Publishing cancer nurse workforce figures and vacancy rates on a regular basis.
Macmillan also wants health boards and trusts in Wales to guarantee ringfenced time and funding for training for nurses, including leadership training for those who are already specialist nurses.
