National Cancer Patient Information Pathways Delivery System Pilots
Phase 1 Pilots
In 2008, NCAT ’s Patient Experience Team piloted the first version of the National cancer patient information pathways Delivery System (NCPIDS) with five clinics across England. This round of pilot projects created a set of findings which enabled NCAT to work on the second version of the tool for wider piloting in 2009. The report on this first pilot can be found in the reports section of this website.
Phase 2 and 2a Pilots
In 2009 the team piloted the second version of the electronic information delivery tool. The aim of this tool was to provide up-to-date patient information and make it accessible to everyone in England.
The pilots were held in a wide range of Trusts across England. The pilots tested the functionality and ease of using of the information prescription templates, as well as looking at a range of methods for dispensing and prescribing information. It was important to understand the experiences and needs of Clinical Nurse Specialists and Consultants in using information prescriptions.
The pilots also enabled the team to understand the role that cancer information centres play in dispensing and prescribing cancer patient information prescriptions and to understand which patients are likely to 'self-prescribe'. The results of the pilots helped shape the National Implementation Plan.
Pilot Site Evaluation
The pilots also assessed if NHS staff could use electronic tools to deliver patient information at Key points of the patient journey and to evaluate whether the patient saw the benefits of having a national information delivery system. We also used each pilot to interpret the patterns of information prescription delivery with varied NHS-resourced organisations and evaluate the role of the Network Information and Support Manager / Pilot Coordinator in supporting the 'early adopter' sites.
The Picker Institute Europe gathered and evaluated information from the pilot sites by creating a weekly online questionnaire to evaluate users' ability to navigate the tool whilst also analysing the time taken by staff groups to become comfortable with the system. They also developed patient questionnaires and asked patients to assess the information they received. Afterwards, Clinical Nurse Specialist Leads assessed the extent to which patients and healthcare staff felt that information had 'added value' to current practice.
The role of each Network Information & Support Manager / Pilot Coordinator and Information Centre Manager was evaluated by focus groups, questionnaires and in-depth interviews to help us understand how these roles 'added value' to the pilots.
Further information and reports
More information on Phase 2 and 2A pilots and the evaluation findings can be found in the reports section.