Leading men’s health charity, Prostate Cancer UK, is calling for nurses with an interest in the most common men’s cancer to join its flagship Clinical Champions programme.
Now in its second year, the 18-month clinical leadership programme is the only one of its kind dedicated to improving the lives of men living with or at risk of prostate cancer. Bringing together a multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals, it gives them the knowledge, skills, and support to deliver a project that will make a real difference to prostate cancer care, either at a national or local level. Successful applicants will receive formal training on change leadership, system leadership and improvement science, as well as individual coaching and ongoing peer support and learning.
‘Being part of the Clinical Champions programme is a fantastic opportunity and one I would highly recommend to any nurses who are passionate about improving care and eager to develop their leadership potential,’ said Clare Waymont, President of the British Association of Urological Nurses (BAUN) and advanced urology nurse practitioner, who is one of 21 healthcare professionals on the current programme.
Ms Waymont’s project is focused on the development of a nurse-led local anaesthetic transperineal (LATP) biopsy service, which aims to overcome delays and speed up diagnosis within her Trust.
‘Six months in, I’ve been able to identify areas where improvements can be made to create extra capacity in our service, which will reduce waiting times and improve the experience for men’ she said. ‘I’ve found the leadership training particularly valuable as well as the opportunity to reflect and learn from the other Champions.’
The charity stressed that the programme is now even more valuable, given the effect on cancer diagnoses that the pandemic has had. Recent figures show that 8,600 fewer men in England started treatment for prostate cancer in 2020 than in the previous year.
‘The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on prostate cancer care, causing a huge drop in referrals that left thousands of men missing out on potentially life-saving treatment,’ said Amy Rylance, Head of Improving Care at Prostate Cancer UK. ‘As referrals begin to recover, the need for high-quality diagnosis, treatment and support has never been more vital.
‘Nurses are pivotal to a man’s journey with prostate cancer. That’s why we’re calling on nurses who are ambitious about improving prostate cancer care and support to join our Clinical Champions programme, and help drive positive changes that will ensure prostate cancer services can meet the needs of men across the UK.’
‘If you’re an aspiring leader and want to make a meaningful difference to men and their families, at a time when they need it most, I urge you to apply.’
Applications are now open and will close at 5pm on Wednesday 19 January 2022