Early intervention clinic for parents living with advanced cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Early intervention clinic for parents living with advanced cancer: what advice do parents and carers seek with regard to the impact on children in the family (pilot study).
IRAS ID
268408
Contact name
C Macpherson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Fife
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Supporting parents to prepare themselves and their children for the impact of advanced cancer and bereavement is recognised as highly challenging for health professionals. An early intervention clinic was established in 2018, by the Children and Families Practitioner, Fife Specialist Palliative Care, to offer advice and support to parents concerned about how to talk to their children about parental advanced cancer or cancer recurrence. This aims to help parents offer age-appropriate information about diagnosis and prognosis to their children, and improve communication and understanding within their family. This qualitative pilot study, funded by an NHS Fife research bursary, will analyse routinely occurring clinic sessions with 5 patients/ carers to explore the spectrum and complexity of underlying issues and experiences that influence how parents approach talking to their children. Little is known about how professionals facilitate parents, or the challenges they face, and this is in part due to protective gate keeping. The research team comprises experienced palliative care clinicians, and issues of inclusion, recruitment and consent and conflicting interests are a primary consideration. A prospective qualitative study of the issues that practitioners’ face in complex moment to moment communication allows in-depth analyses. Clinical responsibility will be privileged over research aspirations. Clinic sessions will be conducted as usual by the Children and Family Practitioner, recorded, and analysed, using narrative methods, by the remainder of the research team, with guidance from an external research consultant. Feedback on the perceived impact of attending the clinic will be gained, where possible, in a follow up interview. Outcomes are likely to include an improved understanding regarding the breadth and depth of difficulty parents’ face when considering talking to their children about parental advanced cancer and death and highly experienced specialist palliative care practitioners will have the opportunity to reflexively explore complex psycho-educational practice.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
20/NS/0013
Date of REC Opinion
14 Feb 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion