Message from the President | November Update
We met as the Board of Directors for a two-day meeting at the end of October, with a diverse range of speakers joining us to provide updates on key plans, programs and strategies involving the cancer nursing workforce. I'm writing to provide you with an update on these discussions, and how we're working to future-proof the organisation for years to come.
At this meeting we met our newest Appointed Director, Mark Lock, who has joined the Board as our first externally appointed director outside of the membership. CNSA undertook a process through the Australian Institute Company of Directors to find Mark, who works with membership organisations, not-for-profits and small businesses to support best-practice governance, strategy, change and risk management. As someone with lived experience as a cancer patient, Mark has a deep understanding and appreciation for the critical role and impact that cancer nurses have on the lives of patients and their families - and has already proven a wonderful addition to the Board. Mark is in a handover period with Professor Kate White, who will be stepping off the Board at the end of 2024.
Across the two days, we explored CNSA's programs, services, and benefits in the context of the wider cancer nursing workforce, focusing on their alignment with the Australian Cancer Plan (the Plan), the Australian Cancer Nursing and Navigation Program (the Program), and the National Nursing Workforce Strategy (the Strategy).
We had a robust discussion about the opportunity to engage and provide support in this area, ensuring our strategic goals of building workforce capacity and improving outcomes for people affected by cancer are aligned.
We were delighted to welcome the CEO of Cancer Australia, Professor Dorothy Keefe, the Acting CEO of the McGrath Foundation, Ryan Barlow and the new CEO of Cancer Council Australia, Mark Nevin, to present on the different aspects of the Plan and the Program, focusing on the all-cancer nurses and the navigation stream. To find out the latest information, we recommend you register for our ACNNP Update webinar on 19 November here.
We also heard from Frances Rice, the Senior Nursing Advisor in the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Office, about the National Nursing Workforce Strategy. She discussed the Strategy's intent and noted that feedback from the second round of consultation, which CNSA contributed to, is under review. The Strategy is expected to be approved by all State and Federal Health Ministers in March 2025.
These thought-provoking presentations offered a comprehensive view of the national landscape and the key factors set to influence our profession for the next five to ten years.
We spent considerable time reflecting on our growth over the past year, discussing what we believe is working well and what needs to change. Our membership is stronger than ever, and we anticipate we'll have over 2,000 members by the end of the year - a historic moment for the organisation. We’re excited about the potential of the new Early Career Cancer Nursing membership and know we must invest in this cohort to ensure the long-term sustainability of both the workforce and CNSA.
We know that 1 in 10 nurses under the age of 35 are members of CNSA. We want to work with you and the wider sector to grow this number and show our future Cancer Nursing leaders the career pathways available to them and the opportunities within this dynamic, evolving field.
Other key projects include:
- the revised and redeveloped capability framework in partnership with Flinders University - you'll hear a lot more about this exciting project in 2025.
- the Cancer Nursing Workforce Survey in June 2025 - an opportunity for us to understand trends over the past four years - what's changed, what hasn’t, demographic shifts, and valuable data to further strengthen the profession.
Next year is going to be about you, and about us. It’s an exciting time as our vision and strategic initiatives from the past four to five years come to fruition. Our focus will be on evaluating and strengthening our already diverse range of member benefits and services, supported by our new website and our 2025 International Congress.
Cancer Nurses Day will be stronger than ever, Congress will provide a fantastic opportunity to engage with a thousand nurses from across the world, and we'll be doing more and more to support you. We’re committed to addressing your needs, maximising your membership, and fostering connections within our vibrant community of strong, skilled and specialised cancer nurses.
We look forward to working with our membership, and also those who have yet to join us. As the Board of Directors, we are absolutely committed to our vision of best possible outcomes and experiences for all people affected by cancer.
We couldn't do this without you.
Kind regards,
Anne Mellon
CNSA President
