4.1 Summary of main findings
We found a range of barriers and facilitators to implementing QCancer.
The barriers identified were: the need for more consultation time; the
possibility of unnecessary worry and anxiety generated by cancer
investigations; over-referral and over-burdening of services;
practitioner scepticism about the usefulness and effectiveness of the
tool; lack of integration of the tool into general practice IT systems;
lack of training for practitioners on the use of the tool; and the need
to establish effectiveness of the tool before rolling it out in clinical
practice. The facilitators included perceptions that the cancer risk
assessment tool would: support decision-making, speed up the process of
assessment and treatment, help to identify and modify health risk
behaviours, and personalise care. These barriers and facilitators need
to be considered when planning to implement the tool in primary care
consultations.