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‘Passport’ will standardise training for all London cancer nurses

Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) passport scheme will mean all cancer nurses in London are trained to same level of competency and can move trusts more easily
Competency passport

All cancer nurses in London are to be trained to the same level of competency under a new ‘passport’ scheme.


From left: Claire Johnston, Flo Panel-Coates, Richard Henry, Jane Fish, Mary Tanay, Alison Hill, Catherine Oakley, Laura Applegate, Ruth Hammond, Rebecca Johl, Chris Caldwell, Rosie Roberts, Natalie Holbery and Eamon Sullivan with the SACT competency passport. Picture: Barney Newman

The Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) competency passport will ensure all cancer nurses in London have the same level of training and knowledge, meaning they can move more easily and quickly between trusts in the capital.

Easing delays

At present, nurses can face a month-long delay caused by the need for retraining and certification.

The introduction of the passport follows a similar scheme in Wales, which has allowed chemotherapy nurses to move more swiftly between hospitals in the country since 2015.

The SACT passport project is led by chemotherapy nurse consultant Catherine Oakley, working with the UK Oncology Nursing Society, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, and the Capital Nurse programme, which was set up in July 2015 to provide a London-wide passport of qualifications for all areas of nursing.

Speaking at the SACT launch, Capital Nurse lead Chris Caldwell said: ‘This is only the beginning. The fact we have done this in cancer is so important and going to mean we can do it in lot of other areas.’

Training framework

The passport provides a training and competency framework for oral, intravenous, subcutaneous and intramuscular handling and administration of SACT. 

It includes theoretical and practical assessments to be completed by all new nurses. More experienced staff due for reassessment will only be required to sit the practical section, but may opt to complete the workbook too.

How much of the assessment is completed at one time is dependent on each nurse’s role.

The training, which will standardise knowledge and best practice throughout London, places a greater emphasis on patient-centred care, following concerns raised by both patients and nurses that cancer treatment had become too focused on the administration of drugs.

More time to care

Dr Oakley, who works at Guy’s and St Thomas’, told Nursing Standard: ‘We are expecting nurses to have additional skills in terms of supporting patients, picking up on psychological changes and reactions. If we’re expecting them to do that, we have to schedule the time to do that.

‘Patients find this treatment extremely difficult and we need to give nurses the skills and the time to support them.’

Last year Guy’s and St Thomas’ overhauled its schedule for patients with cancer, increasing time spent with a nurse by an average of 30 minutes.

Dr Oakley said retention and sickness rates among nurses had already improved, as burnout was reduced and staff were given the time to care.


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