Levels of practice

Supportive and Assistive roles can be found in secondary or primary care, they work within multidisciplinary teams providing care and support to people affected by cancer.

The supportive workforce is made up of a number of different roles including;

Support worker, cancer support worker, cancer navigator, cancer care co-ordinator, care assistant, healthcare assistant, pharmacy assistant, therapy assistant, allied health support worker

The assistive workforce is made up of a number of different roles including;

 Nursing associate, pharmacy technician, assistant practitioner

ACCEND for the supportive and assistive

ACCEND is a tool to help you demonstrate the skills, knowledge and capability you have gained within your role.

Once you have created a free e-portfolio account you can upload evidence of your formal education, hands on experience as well as all other types of learning and relate them to your working practice.

As well as demonstrating where you are highly skilled, the framework can also help you to identify where you have development needs, informing your appraisals and personal development planning.

ACCEND is proving to be a really valuable tool to empower teams to identify and celebrate their strengths and to engage in ongoing learning to continue providing excellent patient care

Resources for the supportive and assistive

• To find out more about ACCEND and how to use the framework view our ACCEND implementation for the Supportive Workforce presentation
• Visit the E-portfolio to create your free account to record your education and experience and to register your capabilities – find out how in this short training film
• You may find it helpful to download the capability framework for the supportive workforce
• To support development of the Supportive and Assistive workforces, visit the ACCEND learning hub
• For additional training and development opportunities visit our Academy Education pages
• For more information and to connect with others, visit our supportive and assistive webpages Supportive Workforce – Welcome to Wessex Cancer Alliance

Refers to all pre-registration nursing, AHP and pharmacy student/learners and trainee nursing associates undertaking pre-registration foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses leading to registration with the HCPC, GPhC or NMC.

ACCEND for pre-registered

All health care professionals will be involved with people affected by cancer and so it is essential that pre-registration health care professional students have fundamental knowledge and understanding of cancer and its consequences. Wessex Cancer Alliance are working with Higher Education Institutes to ensure that the cancer is included in the curriculum, so students are confident to care for people with cancer.

The ACCEND Framework can help you identify and develop knowledge and capabilities in aspects of cancer care. It can also help you plan a career pathway by identifying learning and development needs.

Core knowledge can be obtained by undertaking a programme called ‘Foundations of Cancer Care’ which has been designed and developed for pre-registration nursing and allied health professional students. It can be accessed via the ACCEND Learning Hub. The Hub can be accessed using your eLearning for healthcare log in details. 

Resources

• Foundations of Cancer Care, NHS Learning Hub or visit the ACCEND Learning Hub
• Wessex Academy Education pages

Level of Practice: Registration

Refers to all registered nurses, allied health professionals and pharmacists at the point of registration and during preceptorship working in general and specialist cancer services.

ACCEND for Registered

Registered health care professionals who are new to cancer services or keen on progressing a career in cancer can use the ACCEND Framework to plan your development, supporting you to fulfil the development, education needs and expectations outlined in the Framework. You can access a range of opportunities including workplace-based learning, coaching, eLearning and accredited education in areas of cancer care relevant to your role.

For individuals with no prior experience in cancer care, essential knowledge can be gained through the free online programme ‘Foundations of Cancer Care’, available via the ACCEND Learning Hub. This resource is accessible using your existing eLearning for Healthcare login credentials.

For those with experience caring for people affected by cancer, who want to deepen their knowledge or explore a career in cancer, we recommend the ‘Fundamentals in Cancer Care’ course. This programme is designed to enhance your knowledge and support the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based care to individuals affected by cancer.

We acknowledge that Therapeutic Radiographers will have covered the fundamentals of cancer during their undergraduate education.

Resources

Foundations of Cancer Care, NHS Learning Hub or visit the ACCEND Learning Hub

The following links take you to organisations offering the Fundamentals in Cancer Care module:

• Fundamentals in Cancer Care | TRM School
• Fundamentals of Cancer Care – Professional/Short course – UWE Bristol: Courses
• CANC600/6002 Fundamentals in Cancer Care: Dates :: Clatterbridge Clinical Education

There is also a Fundamentals of Cancer Care course run by University Hospitals Southampton which is currently offered internally.

The Wessex Cancer Academy Education pages signpost you to reputable education providers and development opportunities for the cancer workforce as well as helpful resources. All access is open and free unless otherwise stated.

Interested in becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist? Then you may want to explore this free opportunity: EMCA Aspirant CNS Development Programme covers modules such as SACT, surgery, genomics, psychological support, communications skills and others. Self-Assessment via quizzes, reflective writing creating a portfolio of work to support evidencing of learning. All modules are provided by recognised learning platforms including Macmillan Cancer Support, eLFH.

Enhanced – Registered nurse (all fields), registered AHP, registered pharmacist. Experienced practitioners who work in a role which requires in-depth role specific cancer knowledge and skills or training following registration, for example cancer treatment administration/side effect management/site or pathway specific to undertake complex work managing a discrete aspect of patient care related to their sphere of practice.

Advanced – Registered nurse (all fields), registered AHP, registered pharmacist practising as: An advanced practitioner (AP). Those practising at an advanced level of practice have developed their knowledge and skills through further education, training and often certification. They have an expanded scope of practice allowing them to take on more complex clinical tasks. Advanced practitioners combine advanced clinical skills with research, education and leadership within their scope of practice.

Consultant – Registered nurse (all fields), registered AHP, registered pharmacist practising as: A consultant practitioner. Practitioners operating at this level embody the pinnacle of clinical expertise, while simultaneously exemplifying leadership, innovation, and a dedication to advancing the future of healthcare on a wider scale. They play a pivotal role in education, research, and the leadership of multidisciplinary clinical teams.

ACCEND for Enhanced/Advanced and Consultant

ACCEND presents an exciting opportunity to develop and demonstrate your knowledge and skills required to deliver the highest standards of cancer care. It offers a robust framework designed to support your career progression but also to facilitate meaningful role development. Through ACCEND, you can engage in structured appraisals with your Line Manager, enabling you to co-create a tailored development plan that reflects your unique strengths and aspirations. The framework also empowers you to clearly define and communicate your role, highlighting the distinct value you bring to cancer services. By doing so, you help senior leaders to appreciate how your contributions align with overarching strategic objectives and support improvements in patient care, efficiency, and quality across the healthcare system.

The capabilities in practice (CiP’s) refer to the skills, knowledge and behaviours that practitioners bring to the workplace. These capabilities are grounded in the four pillars of professional practice: clinical practice, leadership and management, education, and research. The number and level of CiPs you are expected to achieve will vary depending on your level of practice. As your career progresses, the expectations and associated responsibilities will naturally evolve.

We encourage you to use the framework in collaboration with your Line Manager to reflect on your existing capabilities and create a forward looking professional development plan. These ongoing reflections will not only enrich your practice but also support revalidation with your professional body. To track and evidence your learning journey, we recommend using the Greater Manchester ePortfolio. This tool allows you to document your achievements, monitor capability development, and maintain a clear record of your progress.

Further guidance on available education and training opportunities can be found on the education pages of this website, which provide comprehensive and up-to-date information to support your development journey.

Resources

Career Pathway, Core Cancer Capabilities and Education Framework

ACCEND Implementation guides

• User implementation guide including self-assessment, audit tools and supporting resources: ACCEND Framework User Implementation Guide and Appendices
• User guide for registered, enhanced, advanced and consultant levels including self-assessment tool: Registration-Consultant ACCEND Framework User Implementation Guide
• You may prefer to view the core capabilities for Enhanced/Advanced and Consultant Level Practitioners in a Word document: ACCEND-Enhanced-Advanced-and-Consultant-Workforce-Capabilities.docx

CNS Induction Toolkit

We have developed a toolkit to support the induction of new Clinical Nurse Specialists aligned to ACCEND. It is designed to be adapted according to your speciality in discussion with your Line Manager to support your development in the role.

The Wessex Cancer Academy Education pages signpost you to reputable education providers and development opportunities for the cancer workforce as well as helpful resources. All access is open and free unless otherwise stated.

Developing a Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist Job Plan

We have also developed a Cancer CNS job plan toolkit. This has been developed to help you define and communicate your role at an enhanced and advanced level of practice, aligning with the ACCEND framework. Specialist nursing practice is inherently complex and multifaceted, making it challenging to define, quantify, and fully capture its impact. As the NHS faces increasing pressures on its resources, it is more important than ever to clearly demonstrate the essential contributions that cancer specialist nurses make to patient care and service improvement. Effectively articulating your role is crucial, and a well-structured job plan can support you in doing so.