Project Name: Mount Vernon Breast Cancer Service Redesign

Project Summary:

This Collaborative Working Project ("CWP") aims to optimise workforce capacity within the Mount Vernon Hospital, East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust breast cancer ("BC") oncology service with the creation of new dedicated workforce roles to include one Band 4 Breast Cancer Care Coordinator and one Band 8A Lead Breast Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist for an initial period of 12 months clinical activity.

The intention is to maximise efficiency of clinical appointments that will improve the pathway for patients providing a more efficient and coordinated approach to care. The new roles will support the breast oncology multidisciplinary team and coordinate the pathway for patients with primary and secondary breast cancer.

Amendment 2026:
Following a request from the CW Partner, the Parties have agreed to amend the Collaborative Working Project to extend the clinical activity period for the Band 8A Lead Breast Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) from 12 months to 20 months. Additional Novartis funding has been provided to support this extension. The extended delivery period will allow the collection of further activity, capacity and patient outcome data to support development of a sustainability business case and inform future workforce planning decisions within the Trust. 
The project milestone schedule has been revised to reflect the extended clinical activity period, including extended data collection, earlier development and submission of a sustainability business case, and additional sustainability review milestones prior to project completion.
(Novartis identifier for original executive summary: FA-11362084)

Expected Benefits:

Anticipated benefits for patients 

  • Increased access to equitable, consistent and 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 the patient experience and limit visits to the hospital
  • Increased and dedicated workforce will improved patient uptake of eHNAs  

Anticipated benefits for the organisation(s)

  • 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 treatment options.
  • 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 within the Breast Cancer Service 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 and national guidance, including Novartis medicines where clinically appropriate
  • Ethical, professional, and transparent relationship between Novartis and the Healthcare Organisations

Start Date & Duration: 

Start Date: April 2025

Expected Duration: 20 months of clinical activity within a total project duration of 28 months. 
The project extension relates to the Band 8A Lead Breast Cancer CNS role only

FA-11362084-1 I October 2026