Support services for people who have undergone treatment for head and neck cancer: an approach to evaluating services

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative research was to (1) determine whether support services for people who have undergone treatment for head and neck cancer in Canterbury, New Zealand, align with current national and international guidelines and recommendations for best practice, (2) investigate the views of consumers and health service providers, about current support services and service needs, (3) develop recommendations for a coordinated support service. Interviews with consumers and with service providers, including multidisciplinary team members, were undertaken to collect information about support services for people with head and neck cancer in Canterbury. The analysis was undertaken in two stages. First, information was compared with current guidelines, and second, transcripts of interviews were analysed thematically, using a general inductive approach, to understand any issues arising for both consumers and providers. Comparison with guidelines identified many strengths and a few limitations of the current service compared with international best-practice. A number of other issues arose from the thematic analysis which suggested potential areas for improvement. Recommendations were made to support a best-practice, evidence-based coordinated support service for people with head and neck cancer in Canterbury. The method used to evaluate this service could be used in the evaluation of other intersectoral, multidisciplinary health services.