Mesothelioma UK has been awarded a grant for £25,000 for a study that will explore clinical decision-making in mesothelioma treatment pathways across Oxford University Hospitals, Royal Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire NHS Foundation Trusts.
The recipient of the grant is Dr Catherine Henshall, Senior Nursing Research Fellow at Oxford Brookes University, who will carry out a study to develop an evidence-based, patient-centred approach to mesothelioma clinical decision-making. Mesothelioma UK is committed to supporting research into all aspects of treatment and care related to mesothelioma. The charity works with the National Lung Cancer Forum for Nurses (NLCFN) to make funding available for NLCFN members to undertake a small-scale research study, a complex audit or a preliminary enquiry to support a larger grant application.
Dr Henshall’s study will involve analysing patient records and reports to record diagnosis dates, treatments, mortality rates and clinical care team members. Statistical tests will then be applied to the information to identify any differences between the trusts.
The study will also involve focus groups where members of the multi-disciplinary teams at the trusts will discuss how clinicians’ engagement with, and awareness of, current mesothelioma research impacts on clinical decision-making. The study will promote a joined-up approach to mesothelioma treatment that is consistent with local and national guidance, ensuring that decisions across the trusts are made using evidence, multi-disciplinary knowledge and shared clinical expertise.
