Supporting oncology staff to engage with, communicate and act on genomic testing information: what works, for whom, how and under what circumstances?
Start date
November 2025End date
October 2027Project website
ViewOverview
A 'genomic test' looks for changes in a person's genes to help doctors and nurses understand the cause of their illness or symptoms and choose the best treatment for them. Genomic testing can also help close relatives to understand their own risk of having the same condition and take steps to reduce their risk. Until recently, genomic testing could only be done by a specialist genetic counsellor or doctor, meaning that just a few people could be tested. To help more people to benefit from this testing, nurses, midwives and doctors are now being trained to provide genomic tests and give the results to their patients without involving a genetic specialist. Information about genomic testing is difficult to communicate and understand. Many nurses, midwives and doctors do not yet know how to talk to patients about genomic testing or how to explain the results. These staff need training and support so they in turn can inform and help their patients. Genomic testing is now being provided in different healthcare settings and for people with a variety of health conditions. Our study will help guide the way genomic testing is provided in the future for cancer and other conditions.
Aims and objectives
Our study aims to explore what training and support cancer nurses and doctors need to help them provide genomic testing information to their patients, using a realist review approach. We will analyse a wide range of medical papers and policy documents, and speak with staff and patients to gain a rounded understanding of the issue. This approach will help us to identify the best ways to train and support the nurses and doctors who provide genomic testing for cancer patients. It will also help us to find out which strategies work best under what circumstances so that policy makers can make the most informed decisions. The results of our study will help guide the way genomic testing is provided in the future for cancer and other conditions.
To find out more, please email c.jacobs@surrey.ac.uk or r.abrams@surrey.ac.uk.
Funding amount
£382,039.70
Funder
NIHR HSDR
Team
Principal investigators
Dr Chris Jacobs
Associate Professor, Genetic and Genomic Counselling
Biography
I joined the University of Surrey in 2023 as Associate Professor in Genetic and Genomic Counselling. I took on the role of Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Lead for health workforce development in August 2024 with the aim of identifying gaps between local service needs and existing health professional education and research. The aim of this work is to make recommendations to inform a potential future institute for health workforce development.
My research focuses on genetic and genomic counselling and testing in cancer and other areas. Within that context, my work includes complex decision-making, the impact of health decisions, communication, access, health inequalities and behaviour change. Within the School of Health Sciences, I am a member of the Long Term Conditions and Healthy Ageing and Cancer Expert Groups.
Prior to moving to Surrey, I was at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in Australia. There, I helped establish a new discipline of Genetic Counselling involving developing and teaching a new Masters degree and building a research programme.
I have many years of clinical experience, as a Registered Nurse (mostly in intensive care) and a Registered Genetic Counsellor (mostly in cancer genetics). I was Consultant in Cancer Genetics and Guy’s Hospital, London between 2006 and 2015 and led the cancer genetics service for Southeast England for some of that time. During that role I undertook a part time PhD at UCL as an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow. I am an active member of my profession and currently sit on the Genetic Counsellor Registration Advisory Board (GCRAB) which establishes, maintains and improves practice standards in genetic counselling in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland
Dr Ruth Abrams
Senior Lecturer
Biography
Ruth is an organisational psychologist whose research focuses on the primary care workforce, and primary care service design, delivery and evaluation. Ruth is particularly interested in the organisation of General Practice, and women in healthcare. She uses qualitative research methods and undertakes evidence syntheses, often using realist approaches. Her current projects are funded by NIHR Public Health Research and NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research.
Ruth is the Impact Champion for the School of Health Sciences, and academic co-lead for Research Culture: People and Environment. Between Sept 2024 and July 2025 she acted as interim Director of Research as part of a tripartite arrangement. Ruth established and now co-leads the Realist Health and Social care workforce Special Interest Group (SIG). She sits on the Editorial Board for BJGP and the NIHR public health research funding panel.
Co-investigators
Professor Emma Ream
Professor, Director of Health Sciences Research
Biography
Emma Ream is a Professor of Supportive Cancer Care and Director of Health Sciences Research. She is a Registered Nurse with a research career spanning 30 years. She qualified in 1990 having undertaken a BSc in Nursing with Economics at St Bartholomew's Hospital in conjunction with City University, London. She worked in general and oncology nursing before moving into academia at King's College London. She was awarded her MSc in Nursing from King's College London (1995) and later her doctorate (2002) for her work developing and evaluating an intervention for cancer-related fatigue.
Emma held various research and teaching posts at King's College London before being conferred the title Professor of Supportive Cancer Care in 2009. At King's College London she led the Supportive Cancer Care Research Group and provided strategic leadership in the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery for cancer and palliative nursing education and research.
She moved to the University of Surrey in 2015 to take up position as Director of Health Sciences Research. Her research interests include symptom trajectories during and following cancer treatment, digital health, cancer in pregnancy, support needs of families when a parent has cancer that can't be cured, and cancer inequalities.
Research fellows
