An opportunity to shape a decision-tool that supports men to make an informed choice about a new treatment combination for localised prostate cancer
What do we need your help with?
Have you been diagnosed with localised prostate cancer or do you know someone who has?
If yes, then we need your help to shape a decision tool that can help men to decide whether a particular treatment being made available to men with localised prostate cancer is right for them.
You won’t need to know anything about the treatment. We’re just looking to know whether the decision tool is easy to understand and can enable men to make an informed choice about this treatment option.
The decision tool has been produced by NHS England as part of the work they do to ensure that new ways to use an existing treatment are made available to men.
This treatment is called brachytherapy and NHS England is looking to make it available to men with intermediate and high-risk localised prostate cancer in combination with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), as a ‘boost’.
They’re keen to make it available because recent research shows that this treatment combination can reduce the chance of the cancer coming back. However, there are side-effects associated with this treatment combination that it’s important men consider before deciding whether to have it.
What’s involved?
A user testing session on Zoom
We’d like you to take part in an online user-testing session on Zoom. The session will have at least 10 other people there and everyone will have an opportunity to participate.
It will last about an hour and everyone in the session will be asked to share their views on the decision tool that NHS England has developed. This tool, as mentioned above, sets out the benefits and disadvantages of brachytherapy, when it’s used in combination with EBRT as a ‘boost’.
The session will take place on either the 6th or 7th of August, so please let us know which date you prefer.
Sharing the decision tool with you in advance
You’ll receive the decision tool at least a week in advance of the user-testing session, so that you have time to read it and think about what you want to say. We’ll send it to you by email in a Word document so that it’s easy for you to access.
How will the user testing session work?
Two representatives from NHS England will ask questions about your views on the decision tool. They’ll be wanting to understand whether it’s clear and can help men to decide about this treatment combination.
We’ll be there too and can support you if there’s anything you don’t understand [delete if too patronising].
We’d like to record the session so that NHS England can use your feedback to make any changes to the decision tool you think are needed.
What will be the outcome?
NHS England will use your feedback to make the decision tool easy to understand and will then develop it so it can be available to men with localised prostate cancer across England at the same time as making brachytherapy in combination with EBRT available.
If you are interested please email supportgroups@prostatecanceruk.org with your name, age and year of diagnosis. Your preference 6 or 7th August.
Kind Regards
Sue
Peer Support Manager