The Patient Concerns Inventory integrated as part of routine head and neck cancer follow-up consultations: frequency, case-mix, and items initiated by the patient

Abstract

Introduction The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance Improving Supportive and Palliative Care for Adults with Cancer (2004) and the Cancer Reform Strategy (2007) support the premise that assessment and discussion of patients’ needs for physical, social, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing should be undertaken during oncology follow-up. We report the use of the Patient Concerns Inventory in a routine head and neck cancer clinic setting over a seven-year period, summarising the number of available clinics, the number of patients completing the inventory within a clinic, the range of clinical characteristics and the concerns they wanted to discuss. Methods The data were analysed from oncology follow-up clinics between 1 August 2007 and 10 December 2014. Audit approval was given by the Clinical Audit Department, University Hospital Aintree. Results There were 386 patients with 1198 inventories completed at 220 clinics, median 6 (range 4–7) per clinic. The most common concerns raised by patients across all the clinic consultations were dry mouth (34%), fear of recurrence (33%), sore mouth (26%), dental health (25%), chewing (22%) and fatigue/tiredness (21%). Conclusions The incorporation of the Patient Concerns Inventory as part of routine oncology clinics allows for a more patient initiated and focused consultation available to the majority of patients throughout their follow-up. The inventory allows for greater opportunity to provide holistic targeted multiprofessional intervention and support.