Holistic needs assessment and care plans for women with gynaecological cancer: do they improve cancer-specific health-related quality of life? A randomised controlled trial using mixed methods.

Objectives: Holistic needs assessment (HNA) and care planning are proposed to address unmet needs of people treated for cancer. We tested whether HNA and care planning by an allied health professional improved cancer-specific quality of life for women following curative treatment for stage I-III gynaecological cancer.

Methods: Consecutive women were invited to participate in a randomised controlled study (HNA and care planning vs usual care) at a UK cancer centre.

Influencing organisational culture: a leadership challenge.

In the wake of the Francis report, the need for NHS trusts and hospitals to adopt a culture of learning, safety and transparency has been highlighted. This article considers different aspects of culture in health care, and hones in on the link between culture and safety for patients in putting the patient first, embedding the 6Cs and considering the options to measure and influence organisational culture. The article reflects more deeply on how leadership across all levels can influence and inspire change in organisational culture, ensuring that the patient remains the focus of any changes in care delivery.

Cancer survivorship: evolutionary concept analysis.

Aim: This paper is a report of a concept analysis of cancer survivorship in adults.

Background: The concept of cancer survivorship appears frequently in cross-discipline literature but does not seem to have any precise definition or meaning. Substantive research into the experience of surviving cancer is long overdue.