Project

Test, evidence, transition: supporting faster breast cancer diagnosis

Funded by Cancer Research UK.

Collaboration with NHS Forth Valley.

This project is funded by Cancer Research UK. It involves designing, implementing and evaluating a change in pathway to allow fast-track access to assessment clinics for symptomatic patients with a breast lump, to support earlier cancer diagnosis. The project team includes multi-disciplinary researchers at University of Stirling, and clinicians and managers at NHS Forth Valley and NHS Golden Jubilee. The team is supported and guided by stakeholders and people with lived experience of cancer.

The new pathway introduces a fast-track access option for patients calling their GP surgery with a breast lump. This new pathway means these patients can, if they prefer, receive a direct referral to the specialist breast assessment clinic rather than seeing a GP first. The aim is to improve the flow from when a patient reports a breast lump to them being assessed, diagnosed and ultimately treated. We expect this will lead to improved patient experience and reduced delays. We are also interested in whether and how the new pathway impacts on inequalities in health. Our evaluation will explore these outcomes, and any unintended consequences of the new pathway. Our work will result in new knowledge about how to improve cancer diagnosis pathways elsewhere.

Total award value £112,310.00

People (8)

Dr Erica Gadsby

Dr Erica Gadsby

Associate Professor, Health Sciences

Dr Carina Hibberd

Dr Carina Hibberd

Lecturer in Acute Nursing, Health Sciences Stirling

Professor Edward Duncan

Professor Edward Duncan

Professor, NMAHP

Mrs Agi McFarland

Mrs Agi McFarland

Senior Lecturer in Nursing, Health Sciences Stirling

Mr Piotr Teodorowski

Mr Piotr Teodorowski

Health Services Researcher, Health Sciences Stirling

Dr Melanie McInnes

Dr Melanie McInnes

Health Services Researcher, Health Sciences Stirling

Dr Melanie McInnes

Dr Melanie McInnes

Health Services Researcher, Health Sciences Stirling

Mr Piotr Teodorowski

Mr Piotr Teodorowski

Health Services Researcher, Health Sciences Stirling

Outputs (1)

Lecture

McInnes M, Teodorowski P, Gadsby E & Hibberd C (2024) The nature of change in health interventions: qualitative findings from two cancer research projects in Scotland (Presentation) Interventions & co-creation. Society for Social Medicine: Annual Scientific Meeting, Glasgow, 04.09.2024-06.09.2024. https://jech.bmj.com/content/78/Suppl_1/A26.1; https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2024-ssmabstracts.54