Nurse-led telephone outreach for a COVID-adapted suspected colorectal cancer pathway

Background: COVID-19 has brought about unprecedented challenges to healthcare services in the UK The pandemic led to the cessation of colonoscopy and outpatient clinics A bespoke COVID-adapted cancer pathway, using computed tomography (CT) scanning and the quantitative faecal immunochemical test (qFIT), was introduced to mitigate the risks of patients referred with potential colorectal cancer Aims: This study aims to evaluate the workload of patient telephone calls undertaken by nurses and their impact on the operation of the pathway Methods: Data were collected prospectively and analysed to assess the volume of patient flow, number of calls made and content of conversations Findings: During a 2-month period, 975 patients (56 6% female, median age 63 years) were registered on the COVID-adapted cancer pathway The 45 9% (n=448) of patients who did not return qFIT tests in a timely manner were contacted Of these, 9 4% (n=42) requested to postpone or declined an appointment Most were appreciative of the opportunity to clarify the rationale of the pathway and address any concerns Conclusions: Phone calls made and received by nursing staff were helpful to discuss patient concerns and increase patients' understanding of the alternative treatment options available during the pandemic