ABC UK Nursing Awards

Small grants, aimed at urology and cancer nursing specialists, designed to improve outcomes and patient experience for individuals with bladder cancer.

Set up as a registered charity in 2009 by a group of urologists and patients, Action Bladder Cancer UK (ABC UK) seeks to improve research and patient outcomes and support in the area of bladder cancer.

ABC UK’s Nursing Awards are given to small, stand-alone nurse-led projects that will directly benefit bladder cancer patients. Through this scheme, ABC UK seeks to acknowledge the great contribution made by specialist nurses to improving patients’ experiences and treatment pathways. There is also a wish to encourage more nurses to participate in ABC UK’s grants programme and apply for grant funding.

Projects must demonstrate clear outcomes and improve knowledge, facilitate change, explore different approaches and, most importantly, directly improve outcomes for patients or the patient experience.

Funding can be given for new projects being undertaken individually or as part of a multidisciplinary team. This could be for a small scale research, audit or quality improvement project with practical benefits for patient outcomes. ABC UK is also open to award applications for outline, scoping or pilot studies for work which might lead to a more substantial piece of work. ABC UK would also consider an extension of such scoping studies for an additional funding contribution. Funding may be granted to extend research or patient centred projects that are currently being undertaken or have been completed, provided a separate, defined project can be identified.

Projects can focus on areas such as:

• Improving treatment systems and pathways within a hospital or clinic.
• Mapping and improving the patient experience, improving bladder cancer monitoring or follow up treatment systems or pathways within hospitals, or patient surveys.
• Within other areas where nursing expertise can make an impact on improving outcomes for bladder cancer patients or their experience of treatment, such as: the patient pathway; patient experience at the point of first diagnosis; patient experience of the discussion of treatment options; enhanced communication; improving knowledge of bladder cancer in nursing health professionals; and improving support for bladder cancer patients.

This list is not exhaustive and any project will be considered that is of benefit to individuals with bladder cancer.