NHS England’s medical director and cancer programme lead for the South East has praised the work and commitment of cancer clinical nurse specialists, who continue to support thousands of patients each year.

Dr Vaughan Lewis’s message of thanks comes at a time when specialist nurses are being celebrated nationally as part of #NationalCancerCNSDay today (26 April).

Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) – of which there are more than 1,100 in the South East – are advanced practice nurses whose role involves supporting cancer patients across all stages of treatment, including helping them to understand their treatment options, as well as performing clinical tasks and providing check-ups.

On average, someone is diagnosed with cancer every 90 seconds in England and they seek the expert support of CNS and others.

Vaughan Lewis, Medical Director and Cancer Programme Senior Responsible Officer for NHS England South East, said: “A cancer diagnosis can be devastating for patients and cancer nurses are there to provide the support and help they need throughout their treatment.

“Patients having treatment may be seen by a number of healthcare professionals and cancer nurses provide the continuity of care they so badly need.

“They really are the cornerstone of this care and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our cancer clinical nurses who are working tirelessly to make a difference in the South East.”