Abstract
Background The role of the specialist nurse in the UK evolved in the 1970s. In cancer care, policy drivers have seen an increase in the number of, and an increase in the role of, the pathology‐based, or ‘site‐specific’, cancer clinical nurse specialists, and also an increase in the variety specialist cancer nursing roles; the recommendation being that every cancer patient has access to a specialist cancer nurse. Methods A census of the specialist cancer nursing workforce was undertaken in 2008. These data were then compared with cancer registry data (incidence) to give an indication of caseload and access to a clinical nurse specialist by patients. Results There is a wide variation in provision of clinical nurse specialists both geographically and by pathology across England. Conclusions Cancer specialist nursing is a pivotal part of cancer care. Given the uneven distribution of cancer clinical nurse specialists, it is unlikely that patients and families have equitable access across pathology or geography. In terms of a realistic workload, more research is needed into optimum caseload guidance.
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