The supportive cancer workforce are an important part of wider multidisciplinary teams, enabling more effective and efficient working. There are a number of unregistered roles who work as part of the cancer care team alongside registered practitioners to improve care for people with cancer. They typically support patients with non-complex needs releasing time for registered practitioners to focus their expertise on managing more complex clinical care. They provide coordination of care to people affected by cancer, from the point of diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond. They seek to enable people affected by cancer to self-manage their own care and optimise their quality of life with support.

Based in primary care supporting patients at any stage of their cancer journey

Based in secondary care supporting patients up to the point of diagnosis

Based in secondary care supporting patients from the point of diagnosis onwards

Based in secondary care coordinating the patient pathway

Supportive Workforce Conferences 2024 and 2026

In February 2024 we delivered our first supportive workforce conference. Cancer Care Coordinators, Cancer Support Workers, Pathway Navigators and MDT Coordinators came together to learn more about each other’s roles and the combined impact they have on the patient journey.

We ran our second supportive workforce conference in February 2026, with a focus on lifestyle and behaviours.

Visit our dedicated webpages to learn more about these days.

ACCEND for the supportive workforce

The Aspirant Cancer Career and Education Development programme (ACCEND) aims to provide transformational reform in the education, training and career pathways for those supporting people affected by cancer.

Supportive roles are a key part of our cancer teams, and their recruitment, retention and development are supported by the NHS longterm workforce plan. However, the Cavendish Report (2024) reports that support staff, who are often the people that have the most direct contact with patients and their families, continue to feel undervalued and ‘invisible’.

We want to ensure that our supportive workforces are competent and confident in all areas of practice, feel valued and respected in their roles and have the opportunity to grow and develop in their careers. Visit our Supportive Workforce page to find resources specific to your growth including our development programme and capabilities for the supportive workforce.

“This Plan commits to developing healthcare support workers, giving them opportunities to build specialist knowledge and skills that will enable them to develop in their careers”

NHS Long Term Workforce Plan 2023 (page 53)