We are delight to announce the supportive and assistive learning arm of the Aspirant Cancer Career and Education Development (ACCEND) programme has won Workforce Innovation of the Year at the HSJ Awards 2024.
ACCEND aims to improve the education, training and career pathways for the cancer workforce. Supportive and assistive roles include cancer support workers, cancer navigators, MDT coordinators, cancer coordinator, healthcare support workers, nursing associates and radiotherapy assistants.
Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance’s (SSCA) ACCEND lead, Robbie Coffin, pictured right, was at the awards ceremony in London along with a team from Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance which runs the Supportive and Assistive Programmes.
“This is a fantastic win and puts the spotlight on the importance of supporting and developing the unregistered cancer workforce,” said Robbie. “The ACCEND programme creates a career pathway with core cancer capabilities in practice and an education and training framework to guide all those working in cancer to develop their skills and develop their career.
“We are proud to have worked with Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance and many others on this programme, and to have implemented and embedded the ACCEND programme across our partners throughout Surrey and Sussex.”
Find all the ACCEND resources, including the Supportive and Assistive Programmes, here in the SSCA ACCEND Resource Hub
The next steps for ACCEND will be the development of job profiles and e-learning videos. Keep an eye out in 2025 for ACCEND drop-in sessions for those working in cancer across the SSCA footprint. The successful ACCEND Roadshows will also return in early 2025. Dates for the drop-in sessions and roadshows will be uploaded to the SSCA events calendar soon.