Fast-track access to support earlier breast cancer diagnosis v0.1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Implementing fast-track access from primary care to a breast assessment clinic for patients presenting with a breast lump: an evaluation and scalability assessment.
IRAS ID
327297
Contact name
Erica Gadsby
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Stirling
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Background
People presenting with breast lumps in primary care are referred through established pathways as urgent suspected cancer (USC) into secondary care. In NHS Forth Valley this comprises around 2,000 patients annually. Offering fast-track access to these patients could potentially reduce primary care attendances and enable faster, person-centred access to one-stop breast diagnostic services.
Aims
To introduce, evaluate and assess the scalability of a change in pathway in NHS Forth Valley to fast-track access to assessment clinics for patients with a breast lump to support earlier breast cancer diagnosis.
Methods
Phase 1 (months 1-3), intervention design and preparation. We will establish a stakeholder group and PPI group who will develop an intervention and implementation plan. Evaluation framework, research methodology, approach and methods will be finalised, and ethics approval sought. With stakeholders, we will explore the contextual factors and expected facilitators and barriers to implementation.
Phase 2 (months 3-15), implementation, evaluation and adaptation. The intervention will be implemented, and adapted as necessary; evaluation activities include gathering data of outcomes and process of implementation. Methods will include using routine health services data, surveys to patients, and interviews with staff. Analyses will include: statistical analyses of quantitative data (including before/after comparisons) and economic analyses; descriptive analyses of demographic data; thematic analyses of qualitative data.
Phase 3 (months 1-18), scalability and evaluability assessment. To begin at project initiation, with evidence synthesised in months 15-18. A combined scalability and evaluability assessment.
Value This project will result in: a tried and tested improvement, with evidence of how and why it ‘worked’ as it did; a detailed assessment of scalability, along with information required to develop a comprehensive scale up plan; an assessment of the anticipated long-term impact, particularly in terms of reducing inequalities in health; and an assessment of its evaluability on a larger scale.REC name
East of England - Cambridge East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EE/0168
Date of REC Opinion
20 Jul 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion