Connecting Patients and Providers: A Quality Improvement Initiative in Head and Neck Cancer Care

Introduction
Patients with head and neck cancer are often treated across multiple hospitals, leading to confusion about appointments, treatment stages, and who to contact. This quality improvement project aimed to improve communication by introducing a clear, unified leaflet outlining the full treatment pathway. The project involved trusts in London and Essex, with UCLH as the central site for surgery.

Methodology
The leaflet was co-developed with input from consultants, clinical nurse specialists, and admin staff from UCLH, Queen’s, and the Royal London Hospital. It explained each step of the patient journey from diagnosis to surgery and follow-up and was translated into several languages to reflect local populations. Patients received the leaflet at pre-assessment and were asked to complete a six-question survey before and an eight-question survey after reading it.

Results
Survey results were on a scale from 1-5 and displayed marked improvements. Familiarity with the care process rose from an average of 2.3 to 4.2. Confidence in navigating appointments and services improved from 2.1 to 4.1. Understanding of treatment stages increased from 2.4 to 4.3. Clarity around locations and contact points also improved. More than 90% of patients rated the leaflet as clear and helpful. At £50 per 1000 copies, the leaflet was low-cost. Challenges included translation funding, legal permissions, and coordination between sites, though these were manageable.

Conclusion
This QIP offers a simple, scalable solution to a common communication gap in cancer care. By creating a multilingual, patient-friendly resource in both print and digital formats, the project has improved patient understanding and pathway navigation. Future work will assess long-term effects on patient satisfaction and whether the approach can be expanded to other specialties.