BMJ Open Quality

Holistic Integrated Care in Ovarian Cancer (HICO)—reducing inequalities due to age, frailty, poor physical and mental health

Older patients have disproportionally poorer survival outcomes for ovarian cancer in the UK. Half of new diagnoses occur in those aged >65 years. Older patients are more likely to have other medical comorbidities reducing their fitness to receive chemotherapy or undergo cytoreductive surgery resulting in fewer patients receiving treatment. The Holistic Integrated Care in Ovarian Cancer (HICO) programme introduced a structured holistic patient assessment with both universal and targeted interventions to improve physical function and psychological well-being to reduce inequalities due to age, frailty, physical and psychosocial problems. The aim of the project was to evaluate the feasibility and impact of the intervention in patients being considered for the treatment of ovarian cancer. During the implementation of the project, all recruited patients underwent a holistic assessment followed by prehabilitation and rehabilitation support from physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, geriatricians, nurse specialists and psychologists according to need. The HICO intervention was successfully integrated into the patient pathway in both trusts. Patients who participated in the HICO project provided positive feedback. Overall global health scores improved in 59.6% of the 57 patients who undertook at least two assessments (p=0.006). The proportion of patients who underwent platinum doublet chemotherapy in the HICO cohort was higher (76.2%) compared with a retrospective cohort (57.6%) (p=0.0189). However, no significant difference in the rate of cytoreductive surgery was shown. The proportion of patients alive at 1 year from diagnosis was higher in the HICO intervention group (88.9%) compared with the historical cohort (80.0%) despite higher stage in the HICO group. Although not statistically significant (p=0.289), these data are not yet mature and further study is ongoing. Initial data on costs of ovarian cancer care demonstrated no increase, although the data are not yet mature. This pilot project was funded through the Ovarian Cancer Action IMPROVE UK Pilot Award scheme.

All Wales Ovarian Cancer Prehabilitation Project (AWOCPP)

Over 50% of patients with ovarian cancer are diagnosed with advanced disease (stage 3+) in Wales when treatment typically involves chemotherapy, combined with cytoreductive surgery. Postoperative morbidity is common resulting in prolonged hospital stays and delays in returning to chemotherapy. Patients with advanced ovarian cancer commonly have modifiable risk factors that can be targeted for improvement with personalised prehabilitation. Multimodal personalised prehabilitation has been shown to have a positive impact on perioperative outcomes and length of stay (LOS). Quality improvement methods were used to implement a multimodal prehabilitation programme for all patients with advanced ovarian cancer planned for surgery in Wales. A unique approach to determining an individual patient’s modifiable risk factors was devised that enabled a personalised prehabilitation programme to be created including exercise, smoking cessation, medical and nutritional optimisation and emotional support. Data were collected to enable future health economic evaluation of the programme in anticipation of national role out as standard of care. To evaluate if the prehabilitation intervention was impacting the quality of care, the following outcome measures were assessed: LOS, postoperative complications and surgery to chemotherapy interval (SCI). These measures were compared with a historical Welsh data set from 2018 to 2019 when access to prehabilitation was not available. Following the implementation of prehabilitation for ovarian cancer, the median LOS reduced from 6 to 5 days (p=0.29). There was a reduction in postoperative complications: from 16.9% to 12.7% (Grade 2), 4.4% to 1.8% (Grade 3), 0.6% to 0% (Grade 4+5). The median SCI following prehabilitation was 43.5 days (range 27–91) compared with 40 days (range 15–182 (p=0.65)). Prehabilitation has had a positive impact on the treatment pathways for advanced ovarian cancer in Wales. Means of improving patient engagement and establishing cost-effective delivery need to be developed to make this intervention standard of care.

Key clinical findings from the IMPROVE-UK quality improvement projects: an overview

Introduction Survival from ovarian cancer in the UK is poor compared with international comparators. The Ovarian Cancer Audit Feasibility Pilot demonstrated variation in 1-year and 5-year survival across the UK as well as significant variation in treatment rates. In 2020, IMPROVE-UK was established as the first major programme to address inequalities in ovarian cancer management and survival across the UK, to develop a legacy of best practice sharing across the country and to establish and evaluate quality improvement projects that could drive care at scale. Methods Following a competitive process, seven quality improvement projects were funded to address inequalities in care and identify strategies to improve and equalise survival rates for all women with ovarian cancer in the UK, to address health inequalities from geography, age or ethnicity. Results Projects addressed the secondary care diagnostic pathway, genomic testing, prehabilitation and improving treatment-related decision-making, particularly decisions for surgery. All seven projects at least partial achieved their aims with numerous areas across all projects identified where processes could be refined and incorporated into standard care to improve outcomes of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Dissemination of information regarding best practice has been undertaken. Conclusion IMPROVE-UK was the first programme of its kind addressing significant inequalities of care in women with ovarian cancer. We demonstrate systematic quality improvement projects in ovarian cancer targeting various aspects of the treatment journey. Scaling up the results of the improve UK pilots is likely to improve survival in the UK and potentially internationally.

Promoting equitable genetic testing in ovarian cancer: the demonstration of improvement for molecular ovarian cancer testing (DEMO) project

Parallel genetic testing (testing for both tumour and germline gene changes) after the diagnosis of ovarian cancer should be considered the standard of care and is crucial to support treatment decisions. The demonstration of improvement for molecular ovarian cancer testing (DEMO) project aimed to develop patient-focused tools to promote equitable genetic care in diverse communities with high proportions of patients with limited English proficiency and biopsy guidelines to address the variations in specimen quality in different geographical regions in the UK. Our three work packages (WP) aimed to promote awareness by addressing the information gaps in different community groups (WP1), develop infrastructure to evaluate the different tissue collection pathways in different regions (WP2) and support continuing professional development (CPD) to encourage best practices with the involvement of patients (WP3). Our output included a multimedia multilanguage information package with paired National Health Service-branded written materials to support genetic testing after ovarian cancer diagnosis (https://ovarian.org.uk/demo-uk/), a scalable database to enable a multisite audit of parallel genetic testing pathways and a collection of CPD events that had patient involvement as an essential component. In addition, we have collaborated with patient and community groups to contribute to a national consensus guidance on genetic testing in ovarian cancer. Our co-production work has been recognised by local and regional awards as an exemplar for patient and public involvement (PPI). This has supported the start of a legacy co-production group in gynaeoncology (https://www.dhlnetwork.com/gohildas) to address the critical unmet need for sustainable and equity-oriented PPI to advocate for underserved communities. The DEMO project has contributed to raising awareness of the importance of equitable genetic care in ovarian cancer. We will continue to build on this groundwork to support future quality improvement projects and research, with the ultimate goal of improving the outcomes of patients with ovarian cancer.

Scottish ovarian cancer forum

The project was to set up a multicentre collaborative real-time multidisciplinary review of women with advanced ovarian cancer (stages 3/4) being considered for surgery (upfront or interval). The forum met weekly via TEAMS with input from all relevant disciplines from the two cancer networks: North Cancer Alliance and South East Scotland Cancer Network. This included radiology, medical oncology, gynaecological oncology, clinical nurse specialists, colorectal and hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgeons. It was an educational forum to review radiology and assess the feasibility of surgical resection. The aim was to stratify and standardise surgical decision-making and increase surgical rates.

Northern Ireland ovarian cancer prehabilitation project

Patients with ovarian cancer are often diagnosed late, in advanced stages (stages III–IV) and are often deconditioned due to disease burden. Frailty is reported in up to 60% of gynaecological oncology patients and many report malnutrition, anxiety and depression. As surgery is the mainstay of treatment for ovarian cancer, with maximum surgical effort being a priority, patients are at increased risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Multimodal prehabilitation aims to improve the functional capacity of surgical patients. Prehabilitation commonly includes physical, nutritional, medical optimisation, smoking cessation and emotional well-being interventions. Many surgical specialties have well established evidence for the use of prehabilitation showing a reduction in length of stay and perioperative complications. There is, however, limited evidence for the use of prehabilitation in the surgically vulnerable group of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. This project aimed to introduce a multimodal prehabilitation pathway for patients with advanced ovarian cancer. All patients with advanced ovarian cancer were included, regardless of the treatment modality decided at the regional gynaecological oncology multidisciplinary team meeting. The pathway included exercise, nutritional and psychological interventions. The outcome measures included the Rockwood Frailty Score, 6 min Walk Test (6MWT), 30 s Chair to Stand test, grip strength and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status as a measure of functional capacity. Nutritional intervention outcomes included the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) score, Body mass index and mid-arm circumference. The psychological intervention outcomes included a holistic needs assessment, the distress thermometer and EQ-5D-5L quality of life status. Of the 75 patients enrolled, 45 (60%) completed the project. In patients who completed the project improved 6MWT and 30-CST was observed in 67% and 44%, respectively, while 67% of patients with moderate to extreme anxiety/depression scores reported lowering from baseline level and 71% of patients with medium to high-risk MUST scores baseline weight was maintained or increased.

Implementing recommendations for routine mismatch repair (MMR) immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing of endometrial cancer and subsequent patient management

Lynch syndrome is associated with an increased risk of cancer, including endometrial cancer. We audited the introduction of a nurse-led testing and management pathway for Lynch syndrome. All 191 patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust between January 2022 and December 2023 were tested for mis-match repair (MMR) protein immunohistochemistry; germline testing was offered to all 13 who were eligible. Seven patients were diagnosed with Lynch syndrome; all were referred for bowel screening and Helicobacter pylori testing. Information about prophylactic aspirin recommendations was missing for 3/7 patients. We established an effective, nurse-led Lynch syndrome testing pathway, in line with national guidelines.

Developing a platform to investigate the heterogeneity of outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer

Background The geographical variation in treatment patterns for patients with ovarian cancer is profound, long-standing and worrying. Although these variations were highlighted in a recent UK registry audit, granular data to provide explanations for these variations have been lacking. Methods A consortium of six UK centres was generated to curate and submit data for all patients treated at their centre for a 2-year period. Descriptive statistics were combined with Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis to confirm the findings from the national registry audit and identify possible drivers of the heterogeneity previously described. Results Records for 1117 patients treated in six centres in 2018 and 2019 were collated. Although there were differences in the clinical characteristics of patients between centres, these were not enough to account for the significant variation in survival outcomes between centres (p<0.001). Treatment rates varied between centres with between 30% and 76% of patients receiving combination therapy but in Cox models ‘treatment centre’ remained a predictor of 1 year survival independent of patient, tumour factors and treatment choice. Conclusion Variations in outcome seen between UK centres are not related solely to casemix but rather to the approach and ethos of each centre towards advanced ovarian cancer treatment options. Although important, differences in treatment patterns do not completely explain the variations seen and further work is required to understand the drivers of difference seen.

Enhancing equity and efficiency in cervical screening uptake: a multidisciplinary quality improvement initiative

Background Cervical cancer screening is vital for early detection and prevention, yet uptake remains suboptimal in diverse communities. Local problem Cauldwell Medical Centre reported cervical screening uptake rates of 54% (ages 25–49) and 62% (ages 50–64) by June 2022, both significantly below the national target of 80%, with a concerning 8 percentage point disparity between age groups. Methods Using quality improvement (QI) methodologies, including Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles and statistical process control charts, the team tested eight cycles of change grouped into three high-impact actions designed to improve accessibility, trust and personalisation of cervical screening services. Tests of change included culturally sensitive outreach, extended clinic hours and a self-booking system to enhance accessibility and engagement. Results This QI initiative achieved a marked reduction in age-related inequalities in cervical screening uptake. By the end of the intervention period (March 2023), screening rates increased from 54% to 69% among women aged 25–49 and from 62% to 72% among women aged 50–64, narrowing the gap from 8 to 3 percentage points—a 60% reduction in disparity. By the final monitoring week, uptake further increased to 73% (ages 25–49) and 82% (ages 50–64), demonstrating how structured QI approaches can amplify the effectiveness of existing healthcare processes. Conclusions This project highlights that systematically applying QI methodologies can effectively address healthcare inequalities, providing a scalable model for improving cervical screening uptake among under-represented populations.

Saturday Pap Smear Clinic: addressing barriers to cervical cancer screening

Background The incidence of cervical cancer has decreased by 70% since the 1950s. Preventative measures include vaccination against HPV strains and Papanicolaou tests. Early identification of cervical cancer through routine screening can significantly improve patient outcomes. Materials and methods At our academic institution, Community Internal Medicine (CIM) Clinic, 63% of female patients aged 21–65 were compliant with cervical cancer screening. The opening of the ‘Saturday Pap Smear Clinic’ sought to address barriers by offering non-traditional appointment times on Saturday mornings with an all female staff. Our aim was to increase the cervical cancer screening rate by 1% within 12 weeks. Our team compared CIM (intervention) and family medicine (FM) (control) compliance rates from September 2021 to January 2022. Messages were sent to the patient indicating non-compliance and offering options to complete screening. Results At the start of this study, 5239 CIM patients were cervical cancer screening non-compliant. Postintervention, cervical screening rates among non-compliant women within CIM improved by 1.2%. The intervention cohort, CIM patients, had a significant improvement in compliance compared with the control group, FM patients. White women between the ages of 50 and 65 comprised the majority of patients who used the ‘Saturday Pap Smear Clinic’. Conclusions The availability of Saturday appointments for cervical cancer screening completion can enhance cervical cancer screening compliance among eligible women. Eliminating barriers for women can improve health outcomes.

Increasing the uptake of cervical screening at cornerstone medical practice

Background Nationally, cervical screening uptake is suboptimal, even though research shows that the programme is highly effective at preventing cervical cancer. Local problem Cornerstone is a small practice located in Salford in the North West of England. Historically, screening uptake here has been lower than average. There were 656 eligible women on our practice list and 177 of them were unscreened at the start of the project. The largest group of non-white British or Irish people on our list (13) spoke Polish as their first language. Methods We used quality improvement methods: the model for improvement, a driver diagram and Plan, Do, Study, Act cycles. Specifically, we targeted 177 women who were previously non-responders, as well as keeping up the regular screening service. We managed to contact 120 women during the project. Interventions We tested different methods of inviting women to attend cervical screening: telephone calls, text messages and letters. Later, a video link was also included in the text invitation. Information leaflets about the tests were added to letters. The letter was also translated into Polish. Results Uptake improved and the aim was reached. Telephone calls from the nurse increased uptake but took time away from other work, so was not a sustainable change for our practice. A letter stating evidence basis for the test, and a letter translated into Polish showed limited improvement. Sending letters with information leaflets and text messages with video links achieved similar response rates with no statistical significance when we analysed the data. Offering extended hours and flexible appointment times showed very positive results. Conclusions The text message with a video attached was adopted as an effective method for targeting persistent non-responders. The project in its second year is being scaled up across the Primary Care Network.

Improving the uptake of cervical screening in pregnant and recently postnatal women: a quality improvement project

Background In 2018, cervical screening uptake was at its lowest level since screening began, particularly in those aged 25–35, coinciding with the peak incidence of cervical cancer and average age at first delivery. Problem Retrospective baseline data of pregnant women found 47.3% (n=123/260) were overdue for screening by delivery, of whom 74% (n=91/123) remained overdue by 6 months postnatal. Methods We undertook a quality improvement project from April 2018 to April 2019 to improve cervical screening uptake in pregnant and postnatal women. We mapped out the screening process and canvassed stakeholders. The main theme was inconsistency of advice received by women. From February 2018 to May 2020, we undertook a prospective audit of 10 women per week who gave birth in our maternity department, recording screening status at delivery and 6 months postnatal. Interventions included introducing evidence-based guidelines about cervical screening in pregnancy and the postnatal period, flow charts for maternity staff, multiprofessional teaching for all maternity staff and information dissemination to women (via the HANDiApp platform, a social media campaign and adapting results letters following colposcopy, highlighting dates when screening would be due). Primary care opening hours were extended for screening and women received a letter from their midwives, if they required cervical screening in pregnancy. Results Locally, the percentage of women overdue for cervical screening by 6 months postnatal improved by 8.0% during this project, compared with a 1.6% change in national screening rates in women aged 25–49. Conclusions We increased the percentage of local pregnant and postnatal women attending cervical screening by introduction of a package of information, targeted education and widening access to screening appointments.