No central guidance has been issued to primary care trusts (PCTs) on whether they should fund Macmillan nurses after the initial period of funding from Macmillan Cancer Support.
It is for trusts to decide how many nurses, including palliative care nurse specialists, are employed in each specialty within hospitals. It is for local cancer networks, working in partnership with PCTs, strategic health authorities and their workforce development directorates, to assess, plan and review their workforce, education and training needs for all staff linked to the delivery of local and national priorities for cancer.