Amanda Abbott works within the Trust’s lung cancer service as a Patient Cancer Navigator, helping guide patients through the diagnostic and treatment pathway. While Amanda has supported patients in this way for more than a decade, work is now underway nationally to formally recognise and standardise this role across the NHS, ensuring patients receive consistent support wherever they are treated.
Patient Cancer Navigators provide a vital link between patients and clinical teams. They help coordinate appointments, support communication between services, and ensure patients can access the information and practical support they need. For many patients, having a consistent point of contact can make the pathway easier to understand and less daunting.
Being investigated for lung cancer can be an anxious and uncertain time, often involving multiple appointments, tests and discussions about treatment. The navigator role helps ensure patients understand what to expect at each stage while also helping teams coordinate care more effectively.
Patients have responded positively to the service, often saying they value having a named person who can guide them through the pathway and answer questions along the way.
Amanda said: “It’s important that patients feel supported and informed throughout their care. This role can help make the pathway clearer and more aligned, it makes a real difference to them knowing there is someone who they can speak to.”
The experience gained at DBTH has also contributed to wider national developments. Amanda has been involved in shaping the Lung Cancer Nursing UK Professional Development Framework, which helps define how navigator roles support cancer pathways across the NHS. The role is now increasingly recognised nationally under the title Patient Cancer Navigator, helping ensure consistency for patients across different hospitals.
The success of the lung cancer navigator role at DBTH has also led to similar roles being introduced across other cancer pathways at the Trust over the past two years. By embedding navigators within Clinical Nurse Specialist teams, the organisation has helped demonstrate how these roles can improve coordination of care and enhance the patient experience.
Karen Jessop, Chief Nurse at DBTH, said: “Patient Cancer Navigators provide invaluable support for patients at what can be a very uncertain time. By helping coordinate care and offering a consistent point of contact, they play an important role in improving the overall patient experience.”
Roles such as Patient Cancer Navigators also provide opportunities for colleagues working in non-clinical positions to become more closely involved in supporting patients throughout their care. Alongside this, the Trust continues to invest in the development of its specialist cancer workforce, supporting Clinical Nurse Specialists to develop their expertise and, where appropriate, progress into Advanced Clinical Practitioner roles.
Through initiatives such as this, and as set out in the Trust’s Healthier Together strategy, DBTH continues to review and develop how care is delivered — ensuring patients receive high-quality, coordinated support while also helping shape the future of cancer services across the NHS.
To learn more about the Trust’s priorities, career opportunities or information about cancer services, please visit the DBTH website.