WCA Education Plan

In January 2019, the NHS Long Term Plan was published, stating the NHS’ continued commitment to improvements in prevention, cancer survival, earlier diagnosis, faster diagnosis, optimal access to treatment, personalised care and follow up and research and innovation, with the aim of improving patient’s experience and outcomes for individuals with a cancer diagnosis.

Workforce education and training is integral to achieving these themes with a modern, skilled and flexible workforce central to this. This plan sets out how education will support and enable improved health outcomes and better experiences at every stage of the patient pathway from prevention to early detection, through diagnosis, treatment, into living with and beyond cancer. The desired outcomes will be delivered by healthcare staff of all grades and disciplines.

Published: September 2021

Area of pathway
Training / education sources
Prevention

Increase awareness and support behaviour change of lifestyle factors that increase cancer risk.

Reduce inequalities by addressing disproportionate smoking addiction and unhealthy lifestyles in targeted areas.

Earlier and faster diagnosis

Increase public awareness of signs and symptoms to enable early presentation.

Increase the uptake of screening programmes: Bowel, Breast, cervical

Improve adherence to NICE referral guidelines

Best practice safety netting

Acute Oncology

Personalised care

(Living with and beyond cancer)

Supporting patients in primary care

Palliative Care & End of Life Care

Earlier integration of supportive and palliative care

Deliver choice at end of life

NB: Advanced/Enhanced Communication Skills training locally provided opportunities available.

Patient experience

Improve patient experience

Embed users in service development

Signpost patients and carers to locally available support networks, resources and services

Foundation & Intermediate communication skills training:

  • Cancer Matters Wessex – cancer information and support resource for Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
Research

Improve access to and participation in clinical trials.

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