The SPOCC intervention
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility testing of an intervention aimed at improving cancer investigation referrals in general practice for patients with anxiety and/or depression.
IRAS ID
341827
Contact name
Gary Abel
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Exeter, Research Governance, Ethics and Compliance University Corporate Services
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
341827, IRAS Project ID; 24/EM/0279, REC Reference
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 28 days
Research summary
We will conduct a study to assess the potential for success (feasibility) of a tool for patients and GPs/nurses to use during a visit to the GP surgery. It is the fifth stage of a large research Programme (‘the SPOCC study’) that aims to improve early cancer diagnosis for patients with long-term conditions. The earlier stages of this programme have found that patients with anxiety or depression are less likely to have a cancer picked up through the NHS urgent cancer referral path, and more likely to have a cancer picked up following a trip to accident & emergency compared to people without anxiety and depression.
We have worked with people with lived experience and experts to develop the ‘SPOCC communication tool’ - a set of questions, including key cancer symptoms, to help GPs/nurses and patients communicate.
Our aim is to test the ‘SPOCC communication tool’ (the intervention) in GP surgeries. We will do this by:
1. Recruiting 5-8 GP practices who will send patients with anxiety and/or depression a text/email with a link to the SPOCC communication tool and ask them to complete it before they see the GP or nurse.
2. GPs/Nurses will use the tool with the patient to talk through symptoms they might have.
3. We will collect anonymised data on the use of the tool, e.g. how many patients completed the tool and participant characteristics. We will also ask some patients who have used the tool to see their answers and speak to us about their experiences of completing/using the tool. We will also interview around 16 GPs/Nurses about their experiences in the study.The data collected will help us improve the communication tool. The study will be carried out in Devon and West Midlands in order to make the intervention applicable to different areas.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/EM/0279
Date of REC Opinion
18 Dec 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion