Project Name: Barts Breast Cancer Capacity Service Redesign

Project Summary:

The CWP aims to redesign and expand the breast cancer service with the addition of a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) to streamline the oral chemotherapy pathway. This will address the staff shortages being experienced by the CW Partner and help tackle the backlog of patients. 

Specifically, via integrating the Breast Cancer CNS into the service, the CWP aims to: 

  • improve patient outcomes and experience by reducing time between referral, diagnosis, and treatment, 
  • increasing awareness of the cancer pathway and empowerment of their care;
  • supporting the breast cancer team with management of patient databases 

October 2025

Amendment to increase the  length and scope of the project to include:- 

  • 1.0 WTE Oral SACT Nurse band 7 – this will be an extension of the existing nurse for an additional  12 months to take the total time to 30 months of clinical activity 
  • Addition of 1.0 WTE Pharmacist – band 8a  - 18 months of clinical activity
  • Addition of 1.0 WTE Breast Service Pathway navigator – band 5 – 18 months of clinical activity
  • Addition of 0.5 WTE Oral SACT Admin - band 4 – 18 months of clinical activity 

Integration of new roles into the service aims to: 

  • Ensure clinical roles have the capacity to work at the top of their band capabilities of skill 
  • Reduce the administration burden on clinical roles
  • Create additional capacity within the department to account for the growing number of oral SACT patients coming through the breast cancer service 
  • Collect relevant service metrics to measure the success of the project and use to support the submission of an internal business case to sustain the roles within the NHS

Expected Benefits:

Anticipated benefits for patients

  • Improved access to evidence-based treatment;  
  • More equitable and consistent care and access to care.  
  • Enhanced experience for patients and their carers who live with Breast Cancer Diagnosis. 
  • Increased access to Education on Breast Cancer will enable patients to distinguish potential disease progression and the side effects of treatment.
  • A personalised Breast cancer care plan will help the patient education and awareness

Anticipated benefits for the CW Partner

  • Increase the overall quality of care and improve equity of access to specialist care for patients with Breast Cancer; 
  • Reduction in waiting list times
  • Increased awareness of the breast cancer treatment pathway

Anticipated Benefits for Novartis

  • Better understanding of overall customers’ and patients’ needs
  • Optimal use of medicines (including Novartis medicines) in appropriate patients.
  • Ethical, professional, and transparent relationship between Novartis and the Healthcare Organisations

Start Date & Duration:

Start date November 2023 

Amendment October 2025

Expected project close October 2027

FA-11578977 | December 2025