Cancer workforce

In the UK, the NHS cancer workforce faces long-standing pressures. One barrier to solving this issue is the lack of a clear definition of the cancer workforce.

The NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) represents a valuable resource for monitoring, modelling and planning the cancer workforce.

We have requested and analysed Electronic Staff Record (ESR) data on the cancer and palliative care workforce. We carried out our first analysis in 2023 and updated this again in 2026 with an improved method to more accurately identify the full cancer workforce.

This work delivers a working definition for identifying the cancer-related workforce In England. Our 2026 analysis shows that the cancer workforce comprised approximately 51,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in 2025 (57,000 individuals), compared with 34,000 (37,000 individuals) in 2015. The analysis also provides breakdowns by staff group, job role, gender, age, ethnicity and NHS pay band. 

• Using electronic staff records to describe England’s NHS cancer workforce – 2026 conference poster
• Using the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) to describe the NHS cancer workforce – 2024 conference poster (2023 analysis)

You can also access the full NHS data set used in the 2023 analysis on the National Archives website.

Further work with the NHS and partners is needed to agree a clear definition to help the monitoring, modelling and planning of the cancer workforce.

We also need to support trusts. This support will help them improve their reporting and the accuracy of their ESR data.

Allied Health Professionals are vital to the delivery of cancer care. They include dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, and other roles. In 2018, we commissioned a report to better understand this workforce.

Download the report

• Allied Health Professional Workforce Report (PDF)