MKUH Head and Neck ANP selected for GIRFT role

Date: 18/05/2023

Amanda Naylor, Macmillan Head and Neck Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Milton Keynes University Hospital, has been chosen as one of seven specialist clinicians who will be leading a national review into services for head and neck cancer patients.

The review is being carried out by the GIRFT (Getting it Right First Time) programme. This is a national initiative designed to improve the treatment and care of patients through in-depth reviews of services, benchmarking, and presenting a data-driven evidence base to support change. Commissioned by the NHS England cancer programme team, the new workstream will focus on supporting England’s Cancer Alliances to better provide timely, equitable, and effective care which delivers the best possible outcomes for both patients and NHS colleagues.

“It is a very exciting project to be involved in. We will be looking at the services for head and neck cancer patients across 47 trusts,” explains Amanda, who has been in her current role at MKUH since 2016. She will still be caring for our patients while carrying out her GIRFT duties one day a week. “My focus will be on the role of clinical nurse specialist within head and neck services in other hospitals.”

There are around 12,500 new cases of head and neck cancer diagnosed in the UK each year. The term ‘head and neck’ encompasses more than 30 areas where cancer can develop, including the mouth and lips, voice box (larynx), throat (pharynx), nose and sinuses, and the area at the back of the nose and mouth (nasopharynx).

The GIRFT review aims to cover organisational issues, such as multidisciplinary team (MDT) working and workforce, as well as specific stages along the pathway, including improving the patient’s time to diagnosis and treatment.

This new role goes on to strengthen Amanda’s already dedicated service to her patients. In addition to GIRFT and her hospital position, she is also an active member on the committee of BAHNON, the British Association of Head and Neck Oncology Nurses. She is also a founding member of the Milton Keynes branch of The Swallows, a head and neck cancer support group, which meets in the city once a month.

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