Patients' and carers' perspectives and preferences for follow-up care for gynaecological cancer: A PhD Project

PhD Student

Laura Timmis

Funder

Tenovus Cancer Care

Project Summary

Gynaecological cancers such as endometrial (uterus), ovarian and cervical cancer are the fourth, fifth and sixth most common cancer sites affecting women in the UK after breast cancer, bowel cancer and lung cancer (Cancer Research UK, 2012), with the incidence of endometrial cancer increasing (Cancer Research UK, 2012). Post-treatment care, i.e. follow-up hospital appointments, for women with gynaecological cancer is thus important as it enables the management of patients' physical and psychological morbidity, and may allow detection of recurrent disease (The Royal Society of Medicine, 1999). However, there is no NICE guidance regarding the provision of gynaecological cancer follow up after treatment care, and there is no consensus as to what follow-up is appropriate (Royal Society of Medicine, 1999; Leeson et al, 2013). The NHS's modernisation plan (DoH, 1997) and the new Welsh cancer plan 2012 (Welsh Government, 2012) highlight the importance of designing a patient-centred service around the needs and aspirations of service users. Therefore exploring patients' and carers' perspectives and preferences for gynaecological cancer follow-up services in primary and secondary care would undoubtedly facilitate the future reconfiguration of gynaecological cancer care services, alongside improving and combating inefficiencies in the provision of healthcare services within limited NHS resources.

Objective: To explore patients' and carers' perspectives and preferences for follow-up care for gynaecological cancer and to determine their preferences for follow-up care for gynaecological cancer services.

Methods:

  1. Systematic literature review of patients, carers and health care professional's preferences for gynaecological cancer follow up care.
  2. A qualitative research study to identify the attributes of care that patients and carers value.
  3. A discrete choice experiment across all participating centres (3 hospitals in North Wales and 3 hospitals in South Wales), to identify patients, carers and health care professionals preferences for gynaecological cancer follow up after treatment care.

For further information, contact Laura Timmis: l.j.timmis@bangor.ac.uk