This section offers resources for trainee doctors seeking guidance in the field of cancer on:
- Leadership initiatives
- Quality improvement activities
- Quality improvement projects
For GP Specialist Trainees these principles are a requirement for their work place based assessment. Please select the appropriate category for further details.
This section offers resources outlining the fundamental principles for undertaking a leadership project. In addition, it presents a range of suggested leadership project ideas related to cancer. Learners may use these ideas or as a foundation to develop their own unique projects.
Introduction
Good medical leadership skills can help to improve patient care and outcomes. It can inspire and guide fellow health care professionals to work together collectively, and effectively, so that the care that is delivered has positive impacts on their patients.
General Guidance
- The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) leadership guidance outlines how to go about undertaking a leadership project.
- The NHS Leadership Academy: Healthcare leadership model provides a a more detailed guide and template on leadership models and leadership behaviour.
- A sample leadership project template is attached, which learners could either use or inspire them to create their own:
Medical Leadership Project Template
Leadership Projects in Cancer: Ideas and Guidance
- The following attached table details a selection of leadership projects that can be considered by the learner. It can also be used to generate individual ideas based on other gaps or needs identified in their workplace. This can be printed off and discussed between the training doctor and his/her supervisor.
- Note that both quality improvement projects and clinical audits (see relevant sections on PrOCEDE) can be used to support and evidence leadership activities and can also be developed into a leadership project.
Quality Improvement Activities (QIA) and Projects (QIP) are necessary components for GP Specialist Trainees throughout their three-year training programme, required at various stages. Additionally, participation in these activities is essential for qualified GPs to fulfil appraisal requirements. The core purpose of QIAs and QIPs is to encourage doctors to focus on enhancing patient care. This section will provide some general guidance on QIA and QIP for the learner, and some suggestions based around cancer related topics, which the learner can adopt or modify for their needs.
Introduction
There are several benefits of Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) and Projects (QIP), including:
- Improving the care of patients by identifying and addressing gaps in care at both local (practice) and wider level.
- Build relationships with colleagues with the same goals to improve patient care.
- Foster leadership skills.
- Fulfils educational requirements such as appraisal and for part of the requirements of the Work Based Place Assessment (WBPA) for GP Specialist Trainees.
- At the time of publication (2025) of this resource, GPSTs need to complete a minimum of 1 QIP and 2 QIAs as part of their training requirements.
General Guidance
Quality Improvement Activities (QIA):
- The RCGP: Quality improvement activities provides clear guidance on how to conduct a Quality Improvement Activity (QIA).
A generic quality improvement activity template is attached:
Quality Improvement Activity Template
Quality Improvement Projects (QIP):
- The RCGP: Quality improvement projects provides clear guidance on Quality Improvement Projects (QIP).
On the RCGP website there is a useful quality improvement project template which learners can adapt, and it is also attached here:
Quality Improvement Project (QIP): blank template
- The Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance PRACTICE dashboard offers cancer data for patient population at Practice, PCN and Place level.
Quality Improvement Topic Ideas and guidance
The following attached topics are ideas on quality improvement that can be used for QIA and QIP associated with cancer early diagnosis. The list is not exhaustive. The educator can discuss these with their learner and can adopt the suggestions or alter them to their specific needs. They may also help to generate individual topic ideas for quality improvement, based on specific gaps identified in areas that need improving in their workplace or practice.
Quality Improvement Activity/Project Ideas – Early Cancer Diagnosis