LEAP Into Cancer Care
The LEAP Into Cancer Care education package supports staff delivering care across the cancer pathway. It is suitable for those working at supportive and assistive levels of practice, providing a consistent baseline of cancer knowledge and skills – specifically support workers. This package offers a flexible alternative to Principles in Cancer Care Programme and is aligned with the ACCEND framework.
The package includes 10 flexible sections introducing key aspects of cancer care. It can be used as a standard induction for new support workers or accessed flexibly by those already in role. Resources have been developed by Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance and include quality-assured national training offers, helping to avoid duplication and ensure consistent learning.
The offer is accessible beyond Greater Manchester to support scalability and wider use. For GM staff, funding support may be available. Please speak to your Lead Cancer Nurse or Personalised Care Lead.
To support your ongoing development, we recommend using the ePortfolio to log your learning, reflect on progress, and upload certificates. It empowers support workers to demonstrate their skills, support appraisals, and plan future development, all in one central, accessible place. If you compete the full package, select ‘LEAP Into Cancer Care’ from the learning library and upload all your certificates. If you are completing ad hoc sections, then you can add them individually – all learning is pre-mapped to capabilities in the ACCEND Framework.
Get started by exploring each of the sections below
An Introduction to Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance
Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance is one of 20 Cancer Alliances across NHS England. It brings together clinical and managerial leaders from all hospital trusts and other health and social care organisations from across the entire region, alongside user involvement representatives and other partners.
We’ve created an introductory video to explain the function of our Cancer Alliance and the work it does to improve patient care.
An Introduction to Cancer
As a newly qualified Cancer Support Worker, it’s important to understand the cancer system and pathways.
Foundations of Cancer Care is a programme consisting of 9 e-learning sessions to support healthcare professionals in developing fundamental knowledge of cancer and its consequences.
We’ve identified five areas in this programme containing valuable information for the Cancer Support Worker role:
- The context of cancer
- Personalised treatment and care for cancer
- Understanding the impact of cancer on the individual, families and healthcare professionals
- Living with and beyond cancer
- Communication and team working in cancer care
An Introduction to 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 ACCEND framework is one of the core components and is a multi-professional framework that provides clear guidance on knowledge, skills and capabilities required by Non-Medical healthcare professionals at all levels of practice: supportive, assistive, pre-registration, registration, enhanced, advanced and consultant.
The Supportive & Assistive Hub has been designed for those working in supportive and assistive roles, such as cancer support workers, cancer navigators, healthcare assistants and therapy support workers.
The hub is full of resources to support your learning, increase your knowledge and awareness of cancer and inspire you to work in this brilliant speciality.
Click here to access the ACCEND Framework
Click here to access the Supportive & Assistive Hub
Cancer Screening
Cancer screening is a preventive measure that involves testing for cancer in individuals without symptoms to detect it as early as possible. eLearning for Healthcare offer a variety of education around current NHS cancer screening programmes.
Click here to access the ELFH cancer screening resources.
Please note, you must be registered with an ELFH account to access this learning.
The Greater Manchester Cancer Screening Engagement Programme have a working partnership with Answer Cancer. This partnership works to improve cancer awareness and increase screening uptake across Greater Manchester.
Click here to access Answer Cancer’s cancer screening information
Health Inequalities
Health inequalities in cancer services refer to disparities in access, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes among different population groups, often influenced by factors such as socioeconomic status, ethnicity, geography, and healthcare availability. The role of a cancer alliance is to even out any disparities in patient care and experience to ensure all patients, regardless of external factors, receive the same standard of care.
Cheshire & Merseyside Cancer Alliance have produced an online learning package focused on using a 123 Approach to Health Inequalities.
The content of the package walks learners through what a health inequality is and the wider determinants of health. It discusses barriers to healthcare and how this may present in a cancer pathway. It explains intersectionality – how different factors that a person faces combine to create health inequality – and learners listen to the patient and staff voice through this journey.
The training does not leave you with the barriers faced but supports learners to consider how they can address the health inequalities faced within their own line of work. The training package is step 1, and what follows is an introduction to step 2: The resources, and step 3: The support.
The package has been designed in collaboration with people who have lived experience of cancer and NHS colleagues working across the cancer pathway. It should take between 60 – 90 minutes to complete.
Click here to get started
Inclusive Terminology and Empowering Conversations x LGBT Foundation
In partnership with the LGBT Foundation we’ve develoed a free, CPD-accredited module to support the workforce in delivering more inclusive care to LGBTQ+ patients.
The module focuses on communication challenges and aims to improve patient experience and confidence among staff. It covers seven key areas including terminology, inequalities, and best practices for inclusive conversations, equipping learners with practical tools to support more affirming and sensitive care across cancer services.
Click here to enrol on the module for free
Enhanced Communication Skills Training
Best patient care starts with effective communication.
This module brings together input from subject matter experts, patients, and Recourse:AI to deliver a future-focused learning experience. Combining theory with cutting-edge technology, you’ll have the opportunity to practice key communication techniques—including conducting holistic needs assessments and having healthy lifestyle conversations—with realistic digital humans. Receive instant, constructive feedback and repeat scenarios as often as you like, all within a safe, supportive environment designed to build your confidence and skill.
Click here to enrol onto Enhanced Communication Skills Training
Foundations in Psychological Care
Effective psychological care is essential when working with people who are affected by cancer or have a potential cancer diagnosis.
We offer a 3-part eLearning module designed to guide the workforce at ‘level 1’ to recognise the psychological needs of patients and give them the tools to provide effective information, compassionate communication, general psychological support and when to escalate concerns.
Click here to enrol on Foundations in Psychological Care
Time to explore - Compassionate people centred conversations
This module from Macmillan is an immersive e-learning course designed to improve person-centred communication with people living with cancer.
Through practical, patient-focused scenarios, it helps learners build compassionate conversation skills using techniques like reflecting, exploring with curiosity, asking effectively, and listening with compassion. The module also addresses common barriers and can be revisited anytime, offering a flexible tool to enhance patient care and support staff wellbeing.
Click here to access compassionate communications
Understanding Patient Experience
Understanding the experience of patients is a fundamental part of the Cancer Support Worker role.
We’ve teamed up with Made by Mortals to produce an interactive learning resource co-created by people living with cancer. This resource is designed to make learners think about the important role that personalised care and understanding the patient experience can play in supporting patients through their treatment and beyond.
Click here to access My Friend Has Cancer
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