Cancer patients' organisation participation in heath policy decision-making: a snapshot/cluster analysis of the EU-28 countries

Promoting Patient Safety Through Patient Engagement at the Organisational Level: A Delphi-Based Needs Assessment Among Patient and Family Advisory Councils

BACKGROUND

Patient and family advisory councils (PFACs) are increasingly recognised as a promising approach for improving patient safety (PS) through patient engagement (PE) at the organisational level. However, PFAC stakeholders often lack the necessary knowledge and competence to engage effectively in PS-related issues with healthcare organisations. Moreover, evidence on specific needs for knowledge and competence improvement remains limited, hindering the development of future interventions.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed (a) to identify needs for PS-related competency and knowledge improvement among PFAC stakeholders and (b) to assess current and desired levels of PFAC engagement, roles and factors influencing PFACs' work.

DESIGN

We established an exploratory mixed-methods design with a modified, two-round Delphi approach. We first used qualitative content analysis to analyse interview data (Round 1) and then consolidated statements for a quantitative questionnaire (Round 2). Responses were analysed descriptively and for consensus (criterion: 85% agreement). Mixed-methods analysis was conducted sequentially and convergently.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

PFAC stakeholders are affiliated with German healthcare organisations, including patient representatives and professionals from healthcare organisations. MAIN VARIABLE AND OUTCOME STUDIED: (a) Needs for competency improvement on PS and communication, self-assessed knowledge and preferred training formats and (b) PFAC engagement levels, roles and factors influencing PFACs' work.

RESULTS

Across 6 different oncology-focused PFACs from German university hospitals, 19 stakeholders participated across both rounds. Seventeen needs for competency improvement in PS and communication were identified. After establishing consensus, 10 distinct domains of need were agreed upon (e.g., PS fundamentals, legal basis for PE and respectful communication). While PFAC engagement in PS was inconsistent, participants expressed a strong desire for further involvement. Key implementation factors included limited access to organisational processes, lack of resources and unequal conditions between research- and care-oriented councils.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

This study highlights the need for targeted training and structural support to strengthen PFACs' role in PS. Competency improvement and role clarity were deemed essential for effective collaboration. Enhancing PFAC engagement in PS requires tailored educational programmes, transparent structures and institutional support. This study provides an empirical basis for interventions to improve PE in PS at the organisational level.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

A patient representative was actively involved throughout the research process, contributing to the development of study materials and providing independent feedback on interview guides and questionnaires. Her input helped to shape the materials, improve their accessibility to lay audiences and ensure the inclusion of patient-relevant issues. The research team discussed her feedback in detail and revised study materials accordingly. Beyond the content presented in this manuscript, she contributed to shaping a subsequent intervention that emerged from the study's needs assessment, which was designed as a participatory approach to incorporate patient and stakeholder perspectives from the outset. In addition, she and participating stakeholders of the patient advisory councils are committed to disseminating project findings and developing recommendations to help translate research into practice from a patient perspective.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was pre-registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (ID: DRKS00034733).

Methods for Involving People With Dementia in Health Policy and Guideline Development: A Scoping Review

INTRODUCTION

Patient and public involvement (PPI) is considered part of best-practice for health care delivery, research and policy. However, people with dementia are frequently excluded from PPI initiatives. While recent studies have investigated PPI of people with dementia in research, little is known about their involvement at the macro-level of care, that is, in health policy and guideline development. This scoping review maps the evidence on PPI of people with dementia at the macro-level of care, focusing on the methods, outcomes and mechanisms of involvement.

METHODS

We systematically searched MEDLINE via PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library and GeroLit. Additionally, we performed forward and backward citation searching, manually tracked individual references, searched abstract books and yearbooks, and contacted authors of included reports to seek additional references. We analysed each method's mechanisms of involvement to assess whether measures were taken to maximise effective information transfer.

RESULTS

We included 43 reports and identified 35 involvement methods, which we structured into six categories: 'focus groups and interviews', 'surveys and questionnaires', 'public events', 'meetings with decision-makers', 'serving as members of working groups', and 'multiple-step methods'. Most of the involvement took the form of consultations during the early stages of policy or guideline development. All involvement methods required verbal communication skills, almost all of the participants had mild dementia. We found that most reports did not clearly state the involvement outcomes. While a majority of methods had some facilitation in place to elicit information from participating people with dementia, only nine methods used a structured aggregation to synthesise participants' contributions into a joint statement.

CONCLUSION

We found limited evidence of dementia-adapted involvement. Future research might focus on exploring the mechanisms of involvement to adapt methods to specific target groups, such as people with impaired verbal communication or advanced dementia. We recommend using existing guidance to report PPI initiatives, as the reporting was often incomplete, which limits reproducibility.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

We discussed both our study protocol and our results with a working group of people with dementia, who provided valuable insight for our data interpretation. Our findings can serve such groups for future consultations.

Presence and Role of Associations of Cancer Patients and Volunteers in Specialist Breast Centres: An Italian National Survey of Breast Centres Associated with Senonetwork

This article aims to present the results of a national, cross-sectional, voluntary, online survey on the presence and roles of associations of breast cancer patients and volunteers in Italian specialist breast centres. The survey was developed according to standard methods. The questionnaire was pre-tested by a random sample of three breast centres, loaded onto the SurveyMonkey platform, and piloted by one volunteer breast centre. The breast centre clinical leads were invited to participate via email. A link to the online instrument was provided. No financial incentives were offered. The results were reported using standard descriptive statistics. The response rate was 82/128 (65%). Members of associations were routinely present in 70% Italian breast centres. Breast centres most often reporting their presence were those certified by the European Society of Breast Cancer Specialists. Patient support (reception and information, listening, identification of needs, and psychological support) was the primary area where associations were reported to offer services. The magnitude of this phenomenon warrants a study to investigate the impact of the activities of associations on the quality of life of patients and on the cost-benefit ratio of the service, and the modes of their interactions with the nursing staff and the medical staff.

Patient involvement at the managerial level: the effectiveness of a patient and family advisory council at a regional cancer centre in Sweden

BACKGROUND

In cancer care as well as other types of treatment and care, little is known about the contribution of Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs) operating at the managerial level in healthcare organizations. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of a Swedish PFAC operating at the managerial level at one of Sweden's six regional cancer centres.

METHODS

This was a qualitative, single-case study based on interviews with PFAC participants and meeting minutes from PFAC meetings. These were analysed using a modified version of a framework developed by Abelson et al. to design and evaluate collective involvement processes in the healthcare sector: (i) representation; (ii) information; (iii) process or procedures and (iv) outcomes and decisions.

RESULTS

The descriptive representation was good regarding geographical location and cancer diagnosis. Information from the regional cancer centre was an important part of the meeting agenda. The procedures encouraged everyone to speak up, and the participants saw the representatives from the regional cancer centre as allies against the hospitals and regions, raising some questions about the PFAC's independence. Regarding outcomes, most participants did not know to what extent their work had led to any improvements in cancer care. However, they still regarded the council as effective, as issues the participants raised were listened to by the representatives from the regional cancer centre and 'taken further' in the healthcare organization.

CONCLUSIONS

The participants were satisfied with being listened to, but they found it difficult to know whether their work had led to improvements, in part because they did not know enough about how the healthcare organization worked above the care-provision level. This was a hurdle to achieving change. The study suggests it is more difficult for patients and next of kin to participate at the managerial level, compared to the care-provision level in healthcare systems, where they could potentially influence important aspects of cancer care and policy, since it is at these levels strategic decisions about priorities in cancer care and service configurations are made. This indicates that there is a particular need for guidance and support for patient and public involvement to work successfully at this level, which may include relevant education and training in system knowledge.

Patient participation in cancer network governance: a six-year case study

Background

Patient participation in decision-making has become a hallmark of responsive healthcare systems. Cancer networks in many countries have committed to involving people living with and beyond cancer (PLC) at multiple levels. However, PLC participation in network governance remains highly variable for reasons that are poorly understood. This study aims to share lessons learned regarding mechanisms that enable PLC participation in cancer network governance.

Methods

This multiple case study, using a qualitative approach in a natural setting, was conducted over six years in three local cancer networks within the larger national cancer network in Quebec (Canada), where PLC participation is prescribed by the Cancer Directorate. Data were collected from multiple sources, including individual and focus group interviews (n = 89) with policymakers, managers, clinicians and PLC involved in national and local cancer governance committees. These data were triangulated and iteratively analysed according to a framework based on functions of collaborative governance in the network context.

Results

We identify three main mechanisms that enable PLC participation in cancer network governance: (1) consistent emphasis on patient-centred care as a network objective; (2) flexibility, time and support to translate mandated PLC representation into meaningful participation; and (3) recognition of the distinct knowledge of PLC in decision-making. The shared vision of person-centred care facilitates PLC participation. The quality of participation improves through changes in how committee meetings are conducted, and through the establishment of a national committee where PLC can pool their experience, develop skills and establish a common voice on priority issues. PLC knowledge is especially valued around particular challenges such as designing integrated care trajectories and overcoming barriers to accessing care. These three mechanisms interact to enable PLC participation in governance and are activated to varying extents in each local network.

Conclusions

This study reveals that mandating PLC representation on governance structures is a powerful context element enabling participation, but that it also delineates which governance functions are open to influence from PLC participation. While the activation of mechanisms is context dependent, the insights from this study in Quebec are transferable to cancer networks in other jurisdictions seeking to embed PLC participation in decision-making.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-021-06834-1.