National Cancer Action Team

The NCAT is currently working on several projects regarding cancer nursing. NCAT has established a Quality in Nursing Group (NQiCN) responsible for supporting developments in nursing as a result of the Cancer Reform Strategy, Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer and national QIPP agenda (Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention).  NCAT has also established close links with the Chief Nursing Officer (England), professional development team and colleagues from both academic and charitable organisations to push forward the nursing agenda in cancer care.

Current projects include

• Access to specialist nurses for cancer patients
            - 2010 Cancer CNS Census                                 
            - The Contribution of the Clinical Nurse Specialist
• We are currently collating 2011 Census returns from the Census day of 17th October 2011 for Adult CNS. The Reports for the Adult Census will be published here in May 2012.
• Nurse Sensitive Outcome Measures in ambulatory chemotherapy. Report June 2011. Appendices June 2011.  Executive Summary June 2011.
• 2012 will see the development of a set of Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMS) for a Chemotherapy MDT. The PROMS report will be published here in Autumn 2012.
• The Nursing Career Framework is currently being populated with a series of Cancer Nursing Case studies. These will be available on the framework in late December 2011.
• November 2011 saw the launch of CanDoCancerCare campaign which aims to develop nursing excellence for in-patients with cancer. The Quality Improvement Framework for this campaign will be available in Spring 2012.

•  The 2011 CNS Census date of 17th October 2011 aligns with the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey that has been conducted between September and November of this year and will enable direct analysis and comparisons to be drawn between both sets of data. Outcome Reports from all 3 Census collections will be available in early 2012
• November 2011 saw the launch of the CanDoCancerCare campaign, which aims to develop nursing excellence for in-patients with cancer. The campaign will begin by working with high performing Trusts to identify cases studies which might be used by others to improve the quality of patient care for in-patients with cancer. While much previous work in developing the quality of cancer services has focussed on specialist areas, this campaign will deliberately seek to engage and support nurses not specialised in cancer care.
• Nurse Sensitive Outcome Measures Participating Centres include Southampton, Guys & St Thomas', Clatterbridge, St Helens & Knowsley and North Trent Cancer Network.  1,523 completed questionnaires have been returned to date.  Results now available Summer 2011. Report June 2011, Appendices 2011, Summary 2011.

NQICN Group Members:

Alison Richardson - Co-Chair

Jane Whittome - Co-Chair

David Foster - CNO/DH

Laura Yarnell - NCAT Quality in  Nursing

Anita Hayes - NCAT End of Life Care

Alison Leary - Royal Brompton & Harefield Trust

Ann Driver - NHS Improvement

Jessica Corner - University of Southampton

Barbara Gallagher - Patient Representative

Lalitta Carballo - NHS North Central

Lara Barnish  - West Midlands Network

Jacqui Graves - Macmillan Cancer

Melanie Zeiderman  - St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Paul Trevatt - North East London Cancer Network

Helen Barlow - Greater Manchester and Cheshire Cancer Network

Maria Noblet - Royal College of Nursing Cancer Nursing Forum and UKONS Representative