##  [Mount Vernon Hospital, East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust](/uk-en/about/partnerships/collaborative-working/mount-vernon-hospital-east-and-north-hertfordshire-nhs-trust "Mount Vernon Hospital, East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust") 

 **Project Name:** Collaborative Working - 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 breast cancer care coordinator and one lead breast cancer nurse specialist band 8 for a period of 12 months.

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.

**Planned Milestones:**

1. CW Partner and Novartis: Kick-off meeting and collection of baseline data in line with the project outcome measures.
2. CW Partner: Work up job spec and confirmation of job advertisement published for Band 8 Lead BC Nurse Specialist and Cancer care coordinator
3. Confirmation of the recruitment of Band 8 and Cancer Care coordinator
4. Collection & submission of 3 months clinical activity data.
5. Collection & submission of 6 months clinical activity data.
6. Development of Business case to support sustainability of the project
7. Collection & submission of 9 months clinical activity data.
8. Collection & submission of 12 months clinical activity data.
9. Submit final CWP report to Novartis within 2 months completion of the clinical work.

**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/national guidance (including Novartis medicines) in appropriate patients.
- Ethical, professional, and transparent relationship between Novartis and the Healthcare Organisations

**Start Date & Duration:** February 2025 for 20 months

FA-11362084 I February 2025