COVID-19 has had a profound effect on all aspects of healthcare delivery, including on cancer services. The particular risks of COVID-19 for lung cancer patients have necessitated significant changes to the way healthcare teams are operating to treat and care for patients.
Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) are a crucial support to, and advocates for, lung cancer patients from diagnosis throughout their cancer journey. In July 2020, Lung Cancer Nursing UK shared an online survey with our members to understand how the pandemic was affecting their work and the care they felt able to provide to patients.
This short report sets out the key findings from the survey, along with recommendations for policymakers and system leaders. We hope the findings and recommendations will be valuable to NHS leaders at all levels, as cancer teams across the UK work together to quickly restore services for the lung cancer patients who need them, while embedding positive innovations learned through the pandemic.
Throughout this time, we will be doing our utmost to support our members to care for themselves, as well as caring for patients.
For more information about this survey, or the work of LCNUK more broadly, please contact info@lcnuk.org.