Blood cancer specialists in Wales ‘overstretched and understaffed’

Almost three quarters of haematology consultants in Wales will near retirement age in the next decade, with a critical shortfall of replacements, a charity warned.

Blood Cancer UK (BCUK) launched an action plan, entitled Taking blood cancer out of the shadows, at the Pierhead in Cardiff Bay on September 24 Ceri Bygrave, a consultant haematologist at the University Hospital of Wales, Heath, Cardiff, was part of the charity’s task force which produced the recommendations.

Dr Bygrave said: “The haematology workforce is overstretched and understaffed, with critical staff shortages and increasingly complex treatments leaving people delivering NHS blood cancer care under major pressure.

“This is a particular challenge in Wales where by 2032, 74% of permanent haematology consultants will reach the age of 60 with a shortfall in trainees to replace them.”

‘Way behind’

Dr Bygrave said: “The crumbling NHS infrastructure that exists in Wales and a woeful IT infrastructure that lags a long way behind other centres in England are all things that compromise blood cancer patient care on a daily basis.

“To improve blood cancer survival, future NHS workforce plans must include an increase in the number of and support for blood cancer clinical nurse specialists, as well as action to turn around the drop in the number of clinicians doing blood cancer research.”

Helen Rowntree, the charity’s chief executive, said huge strides have been made in research in the past 60 years but blood cancer remains the UK’s third largest cancer killer.

Ms Rowntree said: “Needless lives are being lost and for those living with blood cancer there’s a real fear that they’re not getting the best care and support.

“The blood cancer community deserves better. The drivers of better survival in high-performing countries urgently need to be understood and implemented.”

‘Not good enough’

Sam Rowlands, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, said blood cancer requires more attention in Wales as he called for targeted intervention.

Mr Rowlands said: “Barely half of cancer patients are receiving treatment within the 62-day target time in Labour-run Wales and there is no clear trend of improvement.

“The action plan from BCUK provides a blueprint for bold action, the fact that only one hospital in the whole of Wales provides groundbreaking CAR-T therapy isn’t good enough.

“If we boost staffing levels as the Conservatives have proposed and invest in provision, we can also put forward a faster diagnostic standard, as is the case in England, of 28 days.

“We should also have more ambition in collecting information on cancer treatments in Wales to perfect treatments and improve prospects.”

‘Sobering’

David Rees, who sponsored the event and chairs the Senedd’s cross-party group on cancer, described the charity’s report as sobering.

He said the report highlights the complexity in diagnostics and treatment which often leads to missed early diagnosis, treatment disparities within Wales and gaps in clinical expertise.

The Labour MS for Aberavon added: “I know that there are issues involved in data collection for blood cancer too, which can help inform good clinical practice and patient pathways.”

Mr Rees said: “Patients across Wales need to have confidence, that when they present themselves to their GP or A&E department, the diagnostic services are available and can deliver timely data that can lead to early treatment.

“Patients should expect no less.”

He pledged to keep pressure on ministers to act on expert reports, saying he was confident two Labour governments can together meet the challenge of modernising the NHS.

‘Top priority’

Research found 29% of people with blood cancer in Wales visited their GP three or more times before diagnosis, with BCUK warning delays can have devastating consequences.

The charity also raised concerns that nearly 30% of blood cancer patients in Wales do not know who their clinical nurse specialist is.

The Welsh Government highlighted a 50% increase in haematology specialty and associate specialist doctors, and a 9% increase in consultants over the past decade.

A spokesman said: “We have made cancer one of the NHS’s top planning priorities and have launched a national programme to support recovery in cancer waiting times.

“We have received the charity’s blood cancer action plan and are considering the implications for our approach in Wales.”

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

Pictured: Ceri Bygrave, Helen Rowntree and David Rees