SORCE v 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Qualitative exploration of how patients and members of the multi-professional team experience nurse and pharmacist delivered Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapies (SACT) on-treatment reviews clinics in oncology services in England
IRAS ID
335275
Contact name
Wladyslawa Czuber-Dochan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King’s College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 9 days
Research summary
Some nurses and pharmacists working in hospitals where people diagnosed with cancer receive Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapies (SACT) have developed specialist skills to review patients during their SACT treatment instead of doctors. Patients may therefore see or speak to a nurse or pharmacist, instead of a doctor, before each treatment to assess them and review any side effects they may have, to confirm if they are well enough to have their next treatment. There is evidence that nurses and pharmacists working in this way is safe and good for patients’ experience. However, little is known about how people with cancer having SACT and being reviewed by nurses and pharmacists instead of doctors experience these reviews. There is also little evidence of how nurses, pharmacists, and doctors feel about these new ways of working.
With increasing numbers of people being diagnosed with cancer who are suitable to have SACT and the development of new SACT that are helping people with cancer to live longer, cancer services need more nurses and pharmacists to support the review of patients during their treatment.
Also, more and more SACT on-treatment review clinics are being delivered remotely via the telephone or virtually on a computer or smart phone instead of in a face-to-face clinic. There is evidence that patients are equally satisfied with telephone and face-to-face consultations and that healthcare professionals also like this method for managing patient care. There is limited research, however, into how the increased use of these types of review clinics have impacted patient experience and care when undergoing SACT, and how the healthcare professionals experience them.
To ensure that new ways of working are safe and good for patient experience and care, it is important to understand what is working well now and what is not and what patients prefer and why.REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/PR/1438
Date of REC Opinion
19 Dec 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion