Help us keep our Breast Care Nurses

Public Archive
1

Hi everyone

Thought you might be interested in this campaign that Breast Cancer Care is running (I’ve seen it mentioned on another thread already).

Breast Cancer Care has a wide network of healthcare professionals, the majority of whom are breast care nurses. We have been hearing more and more often that breast care nurses (also known as clinical nurse specialists) are being forced to limit the number of hours spent in their specialist area of work to cover for staff shortages on general wards.

We are calling for your support to help protect specialist breast care nursing posts across the country and we need examples of where these roles are being compromised.

We will present your support and evidence to the Coalition Government and other opinion-formers. We want GP groups to be encouraged to commission dedicated specialist breast cancer nursing jobs.

So far the Coalition Government has not committed to maintaining (let alone increasing) the numbers of specialist nurses (in all cancers, not just breast cancer). Instead, it will be left up to GP groups to determine how services are provided and whether or not to have specialist breast cancer nursing posts.

You can support the campaign here breastcancercare.org.uk/keepourbreastcarenurses

Thanks all

Leah

2

post deleted

3

Signed. This is a shocking development - glad to hear you are on the case.
finty

4

Thank you for raising this issue - I think it needs a high profile. A very worrying development
Fran

5

I for one wont miss the breast care service in my area they are useless
and I think the money could be spent elsewhere in the cancer services.

6

I’ve filled it in too.

My breast care nurses have been absolutely fantastic and I feel they play an essential role when it comes to helping people deal with breast cancer and all that entails.

7

Filled in. Thanks for bringing this to my notice - I had not heard about it. My nurse has been invaluable since I was diagnosed and in the past five years.

8

ticked

9

Ticked
Don’t know what I would of done without my BCN when I was first diagnosed 3 years ago and now for my lymphoedema.We have 3 at our local hospital and in my eyes they are invaluable.

Melxx

10

Absolutely YES - my BCN is invaluble, I’d feel abandoned if it weren’t for her and I was stuck with the “cutters”.

11

Have signed in the ones I deal with are superb and always ready
to listen and offer good advice

12

Well done Breast Cancer Care. Have just signed, and of course we need specialist nurses.
On a slightly different, but related note, I have the feeling that the Government are going to do a clumsy bit of back peddling over GP Commissioners. I suspect they are now beginning to see how much opposition there is.

13

Have signed !

Linda x

14

Ticked.

15

done…

Said we need more not less, particularly for secondary cancer.

Julie

16

Yes also done and like Juliet highlighted need for secondary support too!
Julie x

17

Done x

18

Me too!! Don’t know how I’d have managed without my BCN.

19

me too.
Annie
x

20

I couldn’t have managed without mine. I know she did a lot of work behind the scenes too, making sure the various specialists worked together, appointments got booked, treatments ordered etc.

Jan