UK Oncology Nursing Society held its Annual Conference at The International Centre in Telford at the end of November. The theme of this year’s conference was “Cancer Care: Staying Safe” with the focal points being Emotional Safety, Professional Safety, and Patient and Carer Safety; and over 320 delegates attended.

There were fantastic discussions throughout the two day event surrounding the need for developing services in the current climate that ensures safe practice; and continue to deliver excellent care to both patient and their families/carers. Talks included: A review of the unfinished business Report, Safe Staffing from the President of the RCN, Recognising the values of European Cancer Nurses, A debate: What improves safe practice most: Education, Research, Policy, or Local leadership, and The Changing Face of Sepsis by Chief Exec of UK Sepsis Trust.

The Advanced Immune and Cell Therapy Team from The Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, an on behalf of Innovate Manchester Advanced Therapy Centre Hub (iMATCH) were very honoured to have abstract accepted to for oral and poster presentation titled “ATIMPs in Oncology…Are Research Teams Ready?” and it was fantastic to highlight Advance Therapies as emerging Oncology Treatments in the cancer setting.

We covered the effectiveness of developing a new research team at The Christie with designated roles to support the safe delivery of treatments in the clinical setting, the educational roll out across the consortium and city wide approach, and the strategic approach of aligning Joint Accreditation Committee ISCT-Europe & EBMT regulations and research principles together.

We sparked debate on how patients were clinical doing after receiving Immune Effector Cells and interest in the roll out programme of the next wave of treatment centres too so a very worthwhile event to raise the profile on Advance Therapies and the potential future of patients treatments.