THE waiting is nearly over for a team of nurses at Clatterbridge Cancer Hospital on the shortlist for a prestigious healthcare award.

The expert Lung Cancer Advanced Nurse Practitioner Team is a finalist in the ‘Cancer Nursing’ category of the Nursing Times Awards 2020, and will find out whether they have won during a virtual ceremony on Wednesday.

The final is particularly timely as November marks Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The North West has some of the highest rates of lung cancer in the country.

Clatterbridge Cancer Centre has been shortlisted for its work in developing the lung oncology service and new nurse-led followup programme.

It has developed its lung clinic with the introduction of experienced advanced nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists who are able to conduct nursing assessments and telephone follow ups with patients who have undergone intense courses of radiotherapy.

The team is trained to identify any potential side effects patients may be experiencing following their radiotherapy treatment and arrange phone calls with them four to six weeks after treatment when symptoms can become more prevalent.

Throughout the patients' treatment and surveillance period they will also receive holistic assessments by the team to help support any lifestyle changes and consider the patients’ psychological wellbeing.

June Holmes, lung cancer advanced nurse practitioner who worked on the award submission alongside her colleague Sarah Rose, said: "We're over the moon to be finalists at the Nursing Times Awards.

"We've worked really hard as a team to get the service just right and we’re extremely proud of what we have managed to achieve.

"Our patients have really benefited from the service as we note the reduced levels of anxiety since people don’t have to come to hospital for appointments as often.

"The fact that it's also helping consultants see more new patient referrals has been a real bonus and one that we're continuously looking to develop further." 

Sheila Lloyd, director of nursing and quality at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are always looking at ways to improve the care and experience for our patients. 

"I am delighted that our lung cancer nursing team has been recognised for doing just this.

"The service the team has developed and the innovative programme they have introduced has all been shaped by our patients’ needs and is a great demonstration of collaborative team working with consultants and the wider lung site reference group (SRG)."

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Nursing Time Awards as well as International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, and this year’s awards is an opportunity to promote and praise the fantastic work of nurses across the country who have shown true commitment and dedication to the profession especially over the past six months during the Coronavirus pandemic.