Project Name: Harrogate Breast Cancer Capacity Service Redesign

Project Summary:

This Collaborative Working Project (“CWP”) aims to optimise workforce capacity within the early breast cancer (“eBC”) and advanced breast cancer (“aBC”) oncology service with the creation of new dedicated workforce roles to include one 0.5 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Band 4 Administrator, a 0.3 FTE Band 6 Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and one 0.4 FTE Band 8A Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) for the duration of 12 months, with the intention to substantiate the roles through the development and submission of the Business Case as part of the milestone delivery.

The intention is to maximise efficiency of clinical appointments that will improve the pathway for both eBC and aBC patients providing a more efficient and coordinated approach to care. Demand is increasing at an unprecedented rate within breast oncology services across the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT) with Harrogate District Hospital facing a three-fold increase, year on year, of breast cancer patients attending clinics. 

Through the implementation of this CWP, the aim is to achieve the following;

  • Contribute to the standardization of a cohesive breast cancer pathway across WYAAT.
  • Create a map of the aBC and eBC services using established Process Mapping Methodologies to conduct a pathway mapping exercise, identify potential areas for improvement and integration of the new roles into the relevant aspects of the service.
  • Reduce unwarranted variation in care quality and implement a cohesive treatment pathway.
  • Safeguard the future of the Breast Cancer Service at Harrogate District Hospital.
  • Ensure aBC and eBC patients are seen, reviewed and treated with the most appropriate treatment as decided by the patient’s treating clinician

Expected Benefits:

Anticipated benefits for patients:

  • Faster and more equitable access to standardized care. 
  • Increased access to education on BC and treatment to improve adherence and consequently patients’ outcomes, supported by a personalized care plan. 
  • Reduce patient waits in the clinic given extra capacity created by new workforce role. 
  • Reduced unplanned medical reviews and admissions.
  • More streamlined pathway to improve patient experience and limit avoidable visits to the hospital.
  • Increased and dedicated workforce will improve patient uptake of Electronic Holistic Needs Assessments (eHNAs)

Anticipated benefits for the organisation:

  • Increase the overall quality of care and improve equity of access to specialist care for patients with BC requiring treatment initiation, evaluation and monitoring. 
  • Provision of subject matter expertise to educate other members of the clinical team on the management of breast cancer care. 
  • Provide a single point of contact for a dedicated cohort of patients, thereby reducing the potential for unplanned calls being received by the wider clinical team. 
  • Free up consultant capacity for clinical activities that are unique to their skillset. 
  • Reduce use of emergency triage line and unplanned admissions. 
  • Workforce efficiency and optimisation by removing administrative burden from clinical staff and coordinating patient care.
  • Increased clinic efficiency by ensuring all up to date tests results are available at the right time.
  • Increase the overall quality of care and improve equity of access to specialist care for patients with BC requiring treatment initiation, evaluation, and monitoring.

Anticipated benefits for Novartis:

  • Better understanding of overall HCP and patient needs
  • Optimal use of medicines in line with local/national guidance (including Novartis medicines) in appropriate patients.
  • Ethical, professional, and transparent relationship between Novartis and the Healthcare Organisations

Start Date & Expected Duration: July 2025 – 18 months duration (includes 12 months clinical activity)

FA-11458679 | June 2025