As of October 2017, there were 4,555 Macmillan nurse posts across the UK, both in hospitals and in the community.
All Macmillan nurses are registered with at least five years' experience, including two or more years in cancer or palliative care. Some will have completed specialist courses in pain and symptom management, or psychological support, as appropriate.
Most Macmillan nurses work in NHS hospitals or the community. A small number work in hospices and private hospitals, but do not charge for their services.
As specialists, they assess complex needs, give advice to other healthcare professionals and support people with cancer to understand their treatment options. If you need more general nursing care, other nurses can help.
We also employ nurses and other professionals on our help lines and mobile information units.
You'll need to be referred by your GP, your hospital consultant, a district nurse or a hospital ward sister. Don't hesitate to ask them if there are Macmillan nurses available in your area.
Macmillan nurses work throughout the country, but if there isn't a Macmillan service in your local area, you can be referred to alternative specialist services.
Charmaine talks about being a Macmillan breast cancer nurse specialist
Charmaine talks about being a Macmillan breast cancer nurse specialist
Most Macmillan nurses are employed by the NHS and their posts are funded by Macmillan for a set time, often for the first three years. After that time, the long-term funding is taken up by the NHS or other partner organisations although the nurse continues to be called a Macmillan Nurse. Macmillan supports these nurses in various ways, for example by providing funding for their education and development.
The nurses who work on the support line and in mobile information centre are employed directly by Macmillan.
Macmillan nurses specialise in particular cancer types or treatments. Some examples include:
In the seventies, a trustee on the board of Macmillan named Henry Garnett set up the first ever national fundraising appeal to pay for a number of specialist palliative care nurses. The first of these nurses was funded in 1975 and since then we've grown in number.
Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists are registered nurses who have been educated to degree level and have completed postgraduate learning, or who are working towards postgraduate qualifications.
Find out more about how to become a Macmillan nurse.
Our team of specialist advisers are available on the phone or online. Send us an email or call us free on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week, 8am - 8pm).
Learn more about support groups and find one near you.
We have information centres all over the UK. Find one near you.
Macmillan’s Online Community is a network of people affected by cancer which anyone can join to get support from others any time. It’s anonymous, and free to join.
Order or download free, reliable information that is easy to understand. Our booklets cover signs and symptoms, diagnosis, cancer types, treatments and living with cancer.
We know people can have a lot of questions when they're facing cancer. You might find it helpful to read through and prepare some questions before you talk to your medical team or benefits advisers.
Browse winter Your Mac News magazine to see what supporters like you have been up to and how you can get involved with our events and challenges.
What's happening near you? Find out about support groups, where to get information and how to get involved with Macmillan where you are.
Read Imogen's blog about her experience as a Macmillan support line volunteer. She highlights the benefits of talking about cancer and looks at some of the different ways people can start talking.
If you've just joined the Community and aren't sure where to start, this is the group for you. Tell us what brings you here, and don't be afraid to ask questions. Someone will be on hand to welcome you and point you in the right direction.
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We rely on a number of sources to gather evidence for our information. If you’d like further information on the sources we use, please feel free to contact us on: bookletfeedback@macmillan.org.uk
All our information is reviewed by cancer or other relevant professionals to ensure that it’s accurate and reflects the best evidence available. We thank all those people who have provided expert review for the information on this page.
Our information is also reviewed by people affected by cancer to ensure it is as relevant and accessible as possible. Thank you to all those people who reviewed what you're reading and have helped our information to develop.
You could help us too when you join our Cancer Voices Network – find out more at: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancervoices
Need to talk? Call us free* 0808 808 00 00 7 days a week, 8am-8pm
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We make every effort to ensure that the information we provide is accurate and up-to-date but it should not be relied upon as a substitute for specialist professional advice tailored to your situation. So far as is permitted by law, Macmillan does not accept liability in relation to the use of any information contained in this publication or third party information or websites included or referred to in it.
