Breast cancer patients abandoned due to nursing shortage

A charity has warned that thousands of incurable breast cancer patients are being denied crucial nursing care, despite a government pledge for its provision three years ago.

Breast Cancer Care revealed that 72 per cent of NHS trusts and Health Boards across England, Scotland and Wales do not provide a dedicated nurse for people living with incurable breast cancer. This is despite the government cancer strategies, first outlined three years ago, promising to deliver access to a designated nurse for all cancer patients.

In fact, in the last two years, there has been only a seven per cent increase in the those providing vital nursing support, indicating a worrying lack of NHS investment in care to help people live well for longer.

Research has shown that clinical nurse specialists are more likely to tell patients about side effects and given the opportunity to discuss their needs and concerns. Therefore, Breast Cancer Care is calling for urgent funding to be made available to recruit and train nurses to fill the significant gaps.

Samia al Qadhi, chief executive of Breast Cancer Care, says: “Our staggering findings reveal just how much NHS nursing care for people with incurable breast cancer has stagnated. After this life-changing and life-limiting diagnosis patients continue to be abandoned without the ongoing, specialist support they need to manage complex treatment and debilitating side effects, like chronic pain and fatigue.

“People living with incurable breast cancer tell us that access to a specialist nurse is the single most important aspect of their care and without it they feel isolated, forgotten and invisible. So today’s failings must not be swept under the carpet. We are calling on all UK governments to create a Secondary Support Package for incurable secondary breast cancer to ensure that everyone has access to the specialist support they need, when they need it. Funding to recruit and train the urgently needed clinical nurse specialists must be made available, starting with a commitment in the NHS England Long Term Plan published next month.”