Training health professionals to deliver an intervention to promote early presentation of breast cancer: a pilot study in the NHS Breast Screening Programme
Caroline Burgess, Emma Teasdale, Lynne Omar, Lorraine Tucker, Amanda Ramirez
Institute of Psychiatry/Kings College London, London, UK
Aim
To
conduct a preliminary evaluation of a training package for radiographers and
assistant practitioners to deliver an intervention to raise breast cancer
awareness and thereby promote early presentation of breast cancer
Background
We
have developed and tested a ten-minute scripted one-to-one health
professional-delivered intervention designed to promote early presentation of
breast cancer in older women. Older women are targeted as they are at high
risk of developing breast cancer and of delayed presentation of the disease.
The intervention is delivered to women receiving their final invited mammogram
on the NHS Breast Screening Programme. We have demonstrated the efficacy of
the intervention in raising breast cancer awareness. If the intervention is
demonstrated to be cost-effective, it may be implemented across the NHS.
Training and supervision is required to ensure the intervention is delivered effectively.
We need to establish the feasibility of training sufficient radiographers to
deliver the intervention to all older women attending breast screening.
Training to deliver the intervention includes two formal days with rehearsal of
skills and performance feedback based on video-recorded practice
interventions. Competency to deliver the intervention is assessed according to
quality criteria covering the content and delivery style of the intervention.
Method
An
observational pilot study of a training course in a single breast screening
service was conducted using quantitative and qualitative methods.
Results
Seven
of eight radiographers who undertook training achieved competency to deliver
the intervention within four months. One withdrew for personal reasons.
Conclusion
It
is feasible to train radiographers and assistant practitioners in sufficient
numbers to deliver the intervention effectively to all older women attending a
breast screening service. The training conferred competence and confidence to
deliver the intervention. We plan to develop a toolkit for quality assurance,
including training, for implementation of the intervention across the NHS
Breast Screening Programme.
