Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2023

SUppoRting PAtient-centred SurvivorShip (SURPASS) at St Vincent’s Health Network: Adaptation of the ‘My Personal Plan’ Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care Plan for generic use (#345)

Nicola Fearn 1 2 , Nicole Heneka 3 , Lauren Christie 1 2 , Rachel Dear 4 5 , Venessa Chin 5 6 7 , Leah Curran 5 , Michael Krasovitsky 4 5 , Orly Lavee 5 6 , Jeff Dunn 3 8 , Suzanne Chambers 2 3
  1. St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Australian Catholic University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. University of Southern Queensland, Brisbane, QLD
  4. St Vincent’s Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst
  5. The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  6. St Vincent’s Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst
  7. The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  8. Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Background: Survivorship care plans are recommended for use with all people living with cancer to support communication, surveillance and management of survivorship issues [1]. ‘My Personal Plan’ is a patient-centred prostate cancer survivorship care plan based on the Prostate Cancer Survivorship Essentials Framework [2], however none of the elements are unique to prostate cancer. This multi-methods study aimed to explore the acceptability of the Essentials Framework and My Personal Plan for people with other cancer types to determine if they can translate for generic use.

Methods: Qualitative data were collected from clinicians and cancer survivors from four cancer groups (breast, head and neck, lung cancer, bone marrow transplant). Interviews were completed with 11 clinicians (oncologists and haematologists, allied health professionals and specialist cancer nurses) and 25 cancer survivors. This sample size allowed in-depth insights and understanding of My Personal Plan acceptability. Thematic analysis was used to identify changes required to My Personal Plan to improve acceptability and usability for other cancer groups.

Results: Four themes regarding changes required to My Personal Plan were identified by clinicians and cancer survivors: 1) treatment regimen, 2) medication and appointment information, 3) problem checklist, 4) support services. Cancer survivors supported the use of My Personal Plan to improve navigation and information needs currently missing from survivorship care. Six themes were identified by clinicians regarding implementation barriers: 1) education needs, 2) electronic version, 3) allied health referral options, 4) time to complete, 5) staff responsible and 6) when to complete.

Conclusion: Acceptability and translatability of the Essentials Framework was high, based on feedback from clinicians and cancer survivors from four cancer groups. Changes to My Personal Plan included treatment history, medication and appointment information and cancer type specific problem list and supports. Cancer survivors expressed desire for survivorship care plan use but clinicians identified numerous barriers that need to be address to support implementation.

  1. 1. https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/optimal-cancer-care-pathways
  2. 2. Dunn J, Green A, Ralph N, Newton R, Kneebone A, Frydenberg M, SK. C. Prostate Cancer Survivorship Essentials Framework: Guidelines for Practitioners. BJUI. 2020; https://doi.org/10.1111/bju.15159