Research project: Catric Study: Identifying optimal patient-GP communication about safety-netting, direct access tests, and referral for investigation of possible cancer (CI: Brindle)
Background: Revisions to NICE 2015 cancer referral guidelines reduced the risk level for urgent investigation of symptoms or signs that may indicate cancer, to 3%, and introduced new recommendations for direct-access-tests and safety-netting in primary care. Although most patients offered direct-access-tests or referred to a specialist following presentation with potential cancer symptoms will not have cancer, being offered investigation(s) may cause patients concern. Little is known about how patients interpret and respond to recommendations for investigation of suspected cancer, or the implications of these discussions for patients’ intentions to attend for tests. The Catric Study is investigating how GP-patient communication might be optimised to effectively convey information about diagnostic tests, cancer risk, and implications of test results, whilst being responsive to patients’ preferences for information and concerns about cancer.