Press release posted 31 March 2026
A Bowdon nurse, who has dedicated more than 4 decades to caring for people with cancer, has been highlighting the unique role that clinical nurse specialists play at The Christie.
Jane Booker, 65, from Bowdon, Altrincham, is one of the longest-serving clinical nurse specialists at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, having first joined the organisation in 1983.
Jane’s connection with The Christie began even earlier during her nurse training at Withington Hospital, when she spent 8 weeks on placement at the cancer centre.
“I learned a lot and enjoyed the full 8 weeks,” she said. “It felt very different from a general hospital and opened my eyes to the possibility of working in a cancer-specific hospital.”
After qualifying, Jane worked as a ward sister and later as a surgical unit manager. But she found herself drawn to specialist nursing roles as they began to develop.
“It was a role that I always kept an eye on,” she said. “I felt that the skills they were able to develop and use as specialists was something I was interested in and aspired to.”
She went on to become a clinical nurse specialist in urology in 1998, supporting patients with cancers such as prostate, bladder and penile cancer.
Today, Jane works closely with surgical and clinical oncology teams, helping to guide patients through their treatment and recovery, while also reviewing outcomes and improving services.
Over the course of her career, she has seen significant changes in cancer care, particularly the growth of multidisciplinary teams.
“The rise of specialist nurses has allowed more patients to be treated in a holistic way,” she explained. “There are now wider teams involved, including pharmacists, radiographers and physiotherapists, all bringing different expertise to support patients.”
Jane has also played a key role in developing new ways of delivering care. In 1999, she piloted The Christie’s first telephone follow-up service, helping to reduce the need for patients to travel to hospital for routine appointments.
She later helped establish nurse-led clinics for prostate and bladder cancer, offering patients more flexible and accessible follow-up care.
When Jane first took on her specialist role, she was one of only a handful of urology clinical nurse specialists in the country and worked alone in the field for several years. Today, she is part of a team of 12 nurses supporting more than 20 consultant clinics.
Despite the changes in healthcare over the years, Jane says the most rewarding part of her job has remained the same.
“Every day is different, even when the rota looks the same,” she said. “Meeting such interesting people - patients I’ll remember forever - is the reason why this role remains appealing after all these years.”
There are now more than 130 clinical nurse specialists supporting patients and families at The Christie.