Cancer Memory Mate: staff perspective
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cancer Memory Mate: qualitative research to evaluate an innovation to support cancer treatment adherence and management of side effects in people with dementia or milder cognitive impairment
IRAS ID
293643
Contact name
Jane B Hopkinson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
SREC reference: REC770 , School of Healthcare Sciences Ethics Committee
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 30 days
Research summary
Cancer Memory Mate is a combination of resources offered by a specially trained cancer professional. It aims to help a person with both cancer and memory problems manage their cancer treatment.
Cancer specialists are treating an increasing number of patients who have a memory problem before they start cancer treatment. Memory loss affects those with dementia or milder cognitive impairment. Cancer treatment is complex, so memory is important for treatment adherence and self-management of side effects.
Cancer Memory Mate is the product of our earlier research funded by Tenovus Cancer Care and approved by Wales REC 1, ref.14/WA/1030. We conducted a systematic review and case study using ethnographic methods to identify ways cancer care might be improved for people with memory problems receiving treatment. We used our research findings to develop Cancer Memory Mate. We did this in partnership with people affected by memory problems and/or cancer and funding support from the Welsh Dementia Action Plan.
This proposal is to study the implementation of Cancer Memory Mate at the Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff. We plan to repeat a qualitative arm of our case study research conducted in 2014 to investigate the oncology staff perspective of how Cancer Memory Mate affects the experience of people with memory problems who are receiving out-patient cancer treatment. We will conduct interviews with oncology staff (max. 30). The research will find out if Cancer Memory Mate, may improve cancer treatment adherence, side-effect management and cancer experience in this vulnerable group, and thus be important to the delivery of safe cancer care across the UK and beyond.
In the context of COVID19 the research team supported by the Memory Mate Advisory Group seek permission to proceed involving staff only in this proposed research.
REC name
N/A
REC reference
N/A