Investing in our cancer workforce
£46 million cancer workforce investment
The Health Education England board has approved a 46 million Spending Review settlement for cancer and diagnostics workforce education and training in 2021/22.
- 15 million cancer workforce investment to progress nursing initiatives and upskilling within endoscopy, imaging, and healthcare science
- 24 million diagnostics workforce investment supporting workforce growth and transformation across diagnostics, including imaging, endoscopy, pathology, and physiological measurement
- 7 million investment to expand medical specialities 245 additional medical places in 2021 2022 across priority professions and located in geographies with greatest need
The People Plan is committed to ongoing training and development of our work force including:
- Grants to train 100 chemotherapy nurses, while 206 existing and aspiring chemotherapy nurses were supported by HEE to undertake training and education
- 517 radiographers started training in 202/21
- Training grants offered to 250 nurses, while HEE offered over 1 200 training opportunities to existing and aspiring Cancer Nurse Specialists to enable them to undertake masters level/advanced training and education to develop specialist clinical, leadership, education and/or research capabilities
- Training a total of 400 clinical endoscopists
On 21 January 2021, we and the BMA General Practitioners Committee England published a letter providing plans to support general practice in 2021/22 including information relating to the GP Contract for the initial part of 2021/22.
Existing services to be delivered by primary care networks including the Early Cancer Diagnosis service, will continue to be a key part of the Network Contract DES from 1 April 2021. The contractual requirements, and accompanying guidance document have been updated in response to stakeholder feedback and the current pressures on general practice.
We published Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) guidance for 2021/22 on 10 March 2021.
Recognising the pressures in general practice and the uncertainty of the pandemic, no new PCN services or further Investment and Impact Fund indicators will be introduced until 1 October 2021 at the earliest. In order to support PCNs with their broader ambitions, additional funding for PCN clinical director support has been made available.
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