‘Foundations of Cancer Care’: Free ACCEND E-Learning

12 October 2023

The Aspirant Cancer Career and Education Development programme (ACCEND) have created a suite of e-learning modules, specifically for pre-registration healthcare students, called ‘Foundations of Cancer Care’.  

The Foundations of Cancer Care is available to all those with an NHS or UK university email address, or with an Open Athens account (https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/ACCEND) .

Recent student feedback shows 93% (n-64) rated Foundations of Cancer Care as good or very good overall. Over 90% agreed or strongly agree that after completing the learning they had:

  • Greater understanding of the context of cancer care in society
  • Improved knowledge and understanding of the impact of cancer on individuals, families and society
  • Increased knowledge and understanding of assessment in cancer care
  • Greater knowledge and understanding of the long term and late effects of cancer
  • More knowledge and understanding of palliative and end of life care in cancer
  • Improved knowledge and understanding of communication and multidisciplinary team working in cancer care.

 84% said they would be able to use what they have learned in their clinical practice. The ACCEND team encourage you all to guide your students and new staff to these modules.

Even though the programme is targeted at pre-registration students with an interest cancer care, the ACCEND team also believe it could have a wide range of educational applications. For example, it could be used as part of induction to placements for students working in oncology in any setting, as well as it being a very helpful and useful module for people working in supportive/assistive roles as well as those in preceptorships, or anyone in a teaching/practice educator role. It would be useful to have more feedback from our members and other users on these possible applications.

To learn about the development of the modules please see this recent article by Armoogum and colleagues in the British Journal of Nursing or see here for a recent editorial about the work.  For more information please contact england.accend@nhs.net