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ACCEND Framework
This Career Pathway, Core Cancer Capabilities in Practice (CiP) and Education Framework for the Nursing and Allied Health Professions Workforce (the ‘Framework’) has been developed as part of a UK wide programme called the Aspirant Cancer Career and Education Development programme (ACCEND).
The ACCEND programme aims to provide transformational reform for the career pathways and associated education, training, learning and development opportunities for the workforce providing care to people affected by cancer.
The overall purpose of this Framework is to support the development of the workforce providing care to people affected by cancer by providing guidance on:
- routes to working, and career progression, in cancer care
- the core cancer related knowledge and CiPs for pre-registration nursing and AHP learners/students, trainee nursing associates and the supportive, assistive, registration level workforce providing cancer care in non-oncology and specialist services/roles across the UK nations. Combined, the education framework and CiPs support practitioners across the levels of practice forming the career pathway to develop the core knowledge, skills and behaviours to care for people affected by cancer. In addition, role specific and specialist knowledge, skills and behaviours can be included to meet a practitioner’s role/service requirements, wellbeing and career aspirations.
- the range of learning, development, training and education opportunities to meet the requirements and aspirations of the cancer workforce across the different levels of practice. This can
- inform commissioning to promote and ensure access to pre and post-registration education, learning and development opportunities for the existing and future workforce caring for people affected by cancer across the age spectrum in non-oncology and specialist services
- enabling and supporting employers and systems to deliver high quality services to people affected by cancer by supporting workforce transformation and the health and wellbeing of staff
You can find the full version of the framework below, as well as implementation guides to support practitioners, employers, educators and other stakeholders to implement and use this Framework.
To find out more about the ACCEND programme and the framework you can watch this short presentation recording by Professor Vanessa Taylor, author of the Framework
The Framework is due to be updated in 2024.
The Framework is made up of 3 components:
1. Career pathway component
2. Core cancer-specific capabilities in practice (CiPs) component
3. Education framework component
Combined, these components support practitioners at all levels of the career pathway to develop the core knowledge, skills and behaviours to care for people affected by cancer.
The below guides should be read in conjunction with the ACCEND Career Pathway, Core Cancer Capabilities and Education Framework for the Supportive, Assistive, Nursing and Allied Health Professions Workforce (the ‘Framework). They are provided to help further practitioners, employers, commissioners and funders understanding of the utility of the Framework, as well as to highlight the opportunities for its use for roles and services providing general and specialist cancer care across primary, secondary, tertiary and community settings, and in supra-regional centres providing quaternary (highly specialised) care for people with rarer cancers.
User implementation guide including self-assessment and audit tools and supporting resources (This is a full guide covering all levels. The links below are for guides for specific levels.)
User implementation guide for supportive and assistive levels including self-assessment tool (This guide is for practitioners at supportive and assistive levels.)
User implementation guide for pre-registration level including self-assessment tool (This guide is for student and learners at pre-registration level undertaking programmes leading to registration with HCPC, GPhC and NMC.)
User implementation guide for registered, enhanced, advanced and consultant levels including self-assessment tool (This guide is for registration, enhanced, advanced and consultant level nursing and allied health professionals.)