Primary Care Engagement Facilitator for Cancer

NHS Camden CCG– Primary Care Engagement Facilitator Objective: To provide support, advice and training to General Practices in Camden on cancer issues, to improve the earlier diagnosis of cancer in Camden. Context:

This initiative sits within the context of the Camden Cancer Programme which aims to improve early diagnosis of cancer in the borough of Camden by using a two-pronged approach: • Increase population awareness of cancer, tackle perceptions of common cancers in particular community groups and promote an increase in presentation in primary care • GP practice and pharmacy education to improve the quality of cancer diagnosis, referral and management within primary care. There will be two providers who work as part of this programme, one Primary Care Engagement Facilitator and one Population Awareness Facilitator. This specification is for the Primary Care Engagement Facilitator.

Objectives

• Improve GP practice knowledge and confidence in making 2 week wait referrals for suspected cancer • Support GP practices to creative effective systems for referrals and safety netting • Support practices to implement best clinical practice in diagnosing cancer within primary care in line with NICE guidelines and local best practice pathways, to include improving the uptake of national screening programmes • Support practices to learn through reflective practice using root cause analyses and list reviews • Work with the CCG to improve communication between primary and secondary care regarding suspected cancer diagnoses through supporting education events and any other initiatives implemented by the CCG • Involve practices in the population awareness element of the programme, specifically o Training wider practice staff (e.g. administration staff) in cancer awareness materials and screening programmes o Raising awareness of the local awareness programme and national campaigns o Assisting with the distribution of awareness materials o Helping to monitor the impact of the awareness programme in particular through supporting practices to undertake list reviews of newly diagnosed patients • Working with the provider of the population awareness programme to deliver a pharmacy campaign to improve early diagnosis of cancer.

Outcomes

• Improve one year cancer survival rate • Increase uptake in screening programmes • Increase the number of cancer patients being diagnosed early (stage 1 or 2)

This will be achieved through:

1. Undertaking practice visits where appropriate to offer support in particular priority areas for that practice 2. Facilitating locality based learning groups for GP practices 3. Facilitate the provider of the population awareness programme to build relationships with practice staff and pharmacies 4. Implement a pharmacy campaign to raise awareness and identify signs and symptoms of cancer in a pharmacy setting