School of Nursing and Midwifery Scholarly Impact Report 2021

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CATHERINE MCAULEY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY, UCC

TRANSLATING EVIDENCE & INNOVATION FOR HEALTH

The Unmet need in Cancer Genetic Services: conducting an environmental scan of the cancer genetics services in an Irish context

care and improved communication between the different healthcare disciplines were also clearly identified by the participating primary healthcare professionals. Findings from this study will be used by the NCCP to enhance lung cancer referrals, early detection, and early diagnosis in Ireland.

HegartyJ., EganS., JonesM.M.,OdisigoC.,O’FlahertyS.J., Chakraborty S., O’Reilly D., & Saab M.M. (2021). The unmet need in cancer genetic services: conducting an environmental scan of the cancer genetics services inan Irishcontextunderpinnedbyamixedmethodsapproach- Report prepared for the Irish Cancer Society, Ireland.

Lead: Dr Mohamad Saab Co-Lead: Professor Josephine Hegarty

Team Members: Dr Michelle O’Driscoll, Dr Laura Sahm, Professor Patricia Leahy-Warren, Dr Brendan Noonan, Dr Serena FitzGerald, Dr Caroline Kilty, Dr Maria O’Malley, and Ms Noreen Lyons

Underpinned by a mixed methods approach

Dr Mohamad Saab secures research funding to explore strategies to improve lung cancer referral in Ireland Dr Mohamad Saab received €25,000 in research funding from the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) to explore barriers, facilitators, and strategies to recognise and refer high-risk individuals with warning signs and symptoms of lung cancer. This study was conducted with primary healthcare professionals in Ireland and included a systematic review of the literature on lung cancer referral and focus groups with 36 general practitioners, practice nurses, public health nurses, and community pharmacists working across 11 Irish counties. Education for primary healthcare professionals was recommended in theformofcommunicationsfromprofessionalorganisations,webinars, interdisciplinary team meetings, education by lung specialists, and use of positive patient testimonials. Lung cancer referral checklists and algorithms ought to be simple, clear, and visually appealing, either developed as standalone tools or embedded into existing primary care software/programmes. The need for enhanced integration of

People at a higher risk of cancer due to their family history are having to wait over two years for tests due to “overstretched” services, a new report has found. Up to 1 in 10 cancers are caused by inherited faulty genes. Genetic testing is an important tool in helping people to understand their risk for certain types of cancer including breast, bowel and ovarian cancers, which combined claim over 3,000 lives in Ireland each year. Not knowing whether a family history of cancer puts them at a higher risk of developing the disease in the future can be a cause of great anxiety and stress for people. Having early access to genetic testing gives these people options and the chance of preventive treatment to reduce the possibility of ever receiving a cancer diagnosis. However, a new report prepared for the Irish Cancer Society by health researchers at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork (UCC) has found that many patients and healthcare professionals believe cancer genetic services in Ireland are under- resourced, with some people waiting over two years for testing and counselling.

Highlights • Education for primary healthcare professionals on lung cancer referral can help with early detection • There is a need for enhanced integration of care and improved communication between the different healthcare disciplines in order to enhance lung cancer referrals

The full report and recommendations are available on the Irish Cancer Society website