Join our expert advisory panel

At Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, we know how much people appreciate our easy-to-understand, clinically accurate information about lung cancer. It is challenging work to keep up with changes and to interpret and present the medical information that people need to be able to make decisions about their treatment and care.

We are always looking for healthcare professionals from all related disciplines to help us do this and we couldn’t produce our wide range of information without the committed volunteers who are already part of this resource.

If you would like to help us continue to create award-winning publications, web content and other type of information, then we would like to hear from you. Use the button below to send us your details and we will be in touch.

While you may remain part of the expert panel indefinitely, most people’s circumstances change. We would usually check with you every couple of years to make sure you are still able to work with us. You are welcome to join, or leave, at any time.

You may be able to use your contribution to our expert panel as part of your CPD.

There are several areas where you can help us:

• Reviewing and planning written information

We have an increasing range of booklets, factsheets and online content that we regularly create, review and update. Content is mainly produced by our information officer based on national clinical guidelines and other sources. Reviewing this content helps us maintain our high standards of information.

We typically consult the expert panel twice (at Word document and designed publication stages) before publishing. We would always approach you first to make sure you have time available to review a piece of work. This would not usually be more than twice in a year, though this may vary depending on your availability and interest. Ideally, if you gave us feedback at the first stage, it would be good if you also complete the second stage.

We may also consult with healthcare professionals when planning information products about future treatment, care and support for people with lung cancer and their carers, and to identify areas of current practice that we do not yet cover.

• Lung cancer information days

We are always interested in inviting healthcare professionals to present at our information days. When not on hold because of COVID‑19, these events take place across the UK and feature local medical practitioners, presenting the latest updates on lung cancer treatments.

We also invite other professionals such as physiotherapists and nutritionists who can provide details on how best to live with lung cancer.

Patient and carer advocates also regularly attend to share their story and explaining how lung cancer has affected their lives.

These one-day sessions receive great praise from everyone attending, including (the) healthcare professionals, people with lung cancer and those who come along with them. All who comes along benefit greatly from having the opportunity to talk with their local clinical teams in an informal setting. The clinicians also report having positive experiences of spending time with this group of people in a non-clinical setting.

• Online support groups

Some of our online support groups would benefit from having a healthcare professional join the group to (be able) to give specific information and support, and answer questions.

These groups provide support to people who may find it more convenient to join an online group than come along to a local support group or lung cancer information day. COVID-19 restrictions may also make these online groups more suitable. The groups cover a variety of topics that may include new diagnosis support, recovery after surgery, managing treatments and side effects, and palliative care.

• Video information

As well as our range of booklets, we are keen to present information about all aspects of lung cancer on video. If you are interested in doing a short presentation or interview on your area of specialism, we would love to hear from you. So many people prefer to watch and listen instead of reading a booklet.

We may also be looking for people to be filmed doing short interviews for social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, talking about new treatments and advances in care for people with lung cancer.

“When mum was diagnosed with lung cancer, she was given some literature by her nurse. This included Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation’s My Lung Surgery booklet, or as she now calls it “her bible”. Instead of dealing with hearsay or gossip, we were able to deal in facts and, because of that, it took away a little bit of stress at an incredibly anxious time.”

Catherine Bardsley