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Country/JA: Ireland flag Ireland
Action type: Pilot

Problem:  Cancer patients commonly feel unsupported when transitioning from active treatment to surveillance and follow-up care.

Objective: The aim of this project is to establish a patient passport.  This Passport is the patient’s personal document and is introduced and explained to them at diagnoses. They are encouraged to bring it with them to each hospital visit so that they can update their information at that time. They can use it as a place to store their information during their treatment and as a place to refer back to for treatment details, advice post operatively or on the side effects of treatment and when treatment ends, it can contain the agreed plan for follow up surveillance. It is hoped that this will support patients to take ownership of their follow up care and surveillance

Implementation status: Pilot initiative

Key Contextual Factors

  • Ireland does not currently have data systems to support electronic passports.

Key Components/Steps

  • The original version of the Passport was developed by the colorectal surgical oncology team
  • Content was then expanded to include surgical, medical and radiation therapy aspects of care.
  • The final version was produced by members of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) Survivorship team and specialist nursing staff.
  • A patient representative kindly gave their time to be part of the project.
  • Evaluation of the first phase was conducted in April 2021

Main Impacts

  • Patients are informed and empowered by being responsible for their handheld record.
  • Patient can share their personal record with other healthcare professionals.

Lessons Learned

  • Involvement of clinical frontline staff from the outset is critical to success
  • Communication with cancer centres about rationale for initiative helped to get ‘buy in’ for the Passport.
  • Nursing leaders were well positioned to lead the process and provided information on the passport to other members of the clinical oncology team.
  • Communication of implementation in positive terms created a demand from other cancer centres to be a part of the programme.

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