Developing the next generation

Developing the next generation: undergraduate placements at Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance

A blog by CMCA Project Officer Khandker Manzoor

Building a sustainable workforce is one of the biggest challenges the NHS faces right now, especially as we try to manage growing demand.

At Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, we have made workforce development a core part of our culture. One of the most effective ways we have done this is through our 12-month undergraduate placements. It is a win-win: university students are given real-world experience and we get extra capacity we need to deliver improvements to our cancer programmes.

How the placements work

We offer year-long, non-clinical placements that allow students to sit right at the heart of our teams. Whether they are working in Health Inequalities and Patient Experience, Primary Care and Cancer Screening, Timely Presentation, Treatment Variation and Living With and Beyond Cancer, or the Pioneer Programme, they are not just observers – they are fully embedded members of staff.

Our students take on everything from data analysis and project co-ordination to governance and evaluation. It is a fantastic way for them to apply university theory to real transformation work, and they walk away with a set of practical skills that will serve them well anywhere in the public sector.

Putting theory into practice

The feedback from our current cohort – Beca Williams, with The Cancer Academy; Harvey Priday, attached to our targeted interventions for early diagnosis (TIED) programme; Jack Shiels, with the Pathway Improvement Programme; and Rhianna Devlin, who is helping our Lung Cancer Screening team – really speaks for itself. They have told us how much their confidence and independence have grown, and how they now have a much clearer “system-level” view of how the NHS actually functions.

It has been impressive to see how quickly our past students have taken on responsibility and feedback from them is that these placements are genuinely developmental; with them leaving the Cancer Alliance ready to hit the ground running in their next role.

Strengthening our workforce

The placement programme fits perfectly with the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. By giving students early exposure to NHS transformation, we are essentially “growing our own” talent. It aligns with the ACCEND principles and ensures that when these students graduate, they already understand population health and quality improvement. We are hopeful that many of them will choose long-term careers in healthcare because of their time here.

The managers’ view

From a management perspective, having these students on board has been a massive help. They bring fresh energy and a different perspective to our projects, and they have been instrumental in helping us keep on top of documentation and reporting. It is great for team morale to have enthusiastic new talent around, and the extra capacity they provide is invaluable.

Andrea Waind, Project Manager in CMCA’s Lung Cancer Screening Programme, said: “Having a placement student in the team has been really helpful. Rhianna has brought fresh ideas and picked things up quickly. It has been great seeing her grow in confidence while also helping us to move projects forward.

“Her support allowed us to progress key pieces of work more quickly. The health inequalities project to improve screening uptake in learning disabilities and homeless populations is an example.

“We have delivered more for the Programme, and Rhianna has gained real hands-on experience of how we improve cancer outcomes across Cheshire and Merseyside. The placement has been mutually beneficial.”

Quality Improvement Project Manager Kathryn Rees said: “Jack has been a fantastic support to the Pathway Improvement Programme over the past year. He has contributed extensively to the skin and head and neck cancer pathways, as well as providing valuable input across the breast, lower GI and gynae programmes. Alongside his strong administrative support, he has scoped projects and developed meaningful questionnaires that clinicians are actively using.

“Jack has taken part in multiple forums and project meetings, gaining confidence and experience in chairing and presenting. Beyond the programme, he has engaged widely across the system, joining several working groups, becoming a health inequalities and patient experience champion, and acting as an AI ambassador. He is now excited to explore innovation within the NHS further and is already contributing to system-level project discussions.

“His placement has added genuine value to our work while giving him the space to grow and develop in a real-world environment.”

CMCA’s Head of Health Inequalities, Jo Trask, said: “Aynur has been a great asset to the team. She has supported the readers panel and has been involved in the Clinical Quality Groups, helping to evaluate how we can incorporate more patient experience and health inequalities work into the groups. She has also gained valuable hospital experience, with placements in locations such as radiotherapy, to fully understand the pathway.”

The students’ view

The students also report a positive experience on the placement programme.

Beca said: “I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to work for The Cancer Alliance this year. It has been inspirational to work alongside colleagues who are dedicated to improving cancer care in every way possible.

“Going from student to a full-time employee has been a smooth transition, thanks to the support and patience of all my co-workers, as well as the placement student peer support available. CMCA is an organisation that encourages and nurtures growth, and you are sure to leave feeling prepared not only for university but also for the job search beyond.

“The best part of this role? Knowing that if you are eager to contribute, colleagues are always ready to welcome your involvement.”

Harvey believes his placement at CMCA has been “incredibly valuable”. He said: “It has allowed me to apply what I have learned in management school while giving me the independence and opportunities to develop my skills. Contributing to such a rewarding cause has been deeply fulfilling. I have grown in confidence and felt fully supported by my team at the Alliance, enabling me to develop in ways that will benefit both my final year of study and my future career.”

Jack said the time spent with the Cancer Alliance had allowed him to experience areas of work that he thought would not be an option with his particular degree background. “My placement so far has given me an insight into the healthcare system and the broad range of opportunities there are for any individual within it,” Jack said.

“It has provided me with valuable experience in project support and allowed me to make great connections with various colleagues across the network. You will feel well supported by the team and develop a solid foundation for whatever your future career path may be.

“Everyone here truly cares about the work they carry out and has created a welcoming and motivational environment to be a part of.”

“My time at CMCA has been amazing so far,” said Rhianna, who has been working on the Lung Cancer Screening programme. “I have felt so welcomed by the entire Cancer Alliance. Witnessing and being a part of the invaluable work taking place to improve cancer outcomes and care is so fulfilling.

“This placement has allowed me to learn so many new skills and further develop the ones I already have. I feel so grateful to have been given the opportunity to work on new, exciting projects to develop my portfolio of work that I can take forward into future career prospects.”

She added: “I could not recommend CMCA highly enough to students thinking of doing a placement; it has really changed and inspired my plans for my career in the future.”

Summary

Overall, the 12-month placement model is a success for everyone involved. The students get the skills they need for their future and CMCA gets high-quality support for our mission.

Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance is proud to be investing in the next generation of talent while we continue to improve cancer care across the region.