Dear Sir/ Madame,
I hope this message finds you well. My name is Brian Sheridan, I am a PhD student from Erasmus MC, Rotterdam.
I am reaching out to you at Malta College of Family Doctors because I am currently conducting a research project titled “Policy makers, program coordinators and healthcare providers knowledge and perceptions of the new EU cancer screening recommendations.”
I am seeking healthcare providers, specifically General Practitioners with knowledge and expertise in cancer screening, who would be interested in participating an interview to share their perceptions on the new EU cancer screening recommendations.
Could you recommend anyone within the Malta College of Family Doctors network with suitable knowledge of cancer screening programs? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Topics covered in the interview will include:
-
Perceptions of the new EU cancer screening recommendations.
-
Factors which may influence the implementation of these new screening recommendations in Malta.
-
How will these new recommendations will be prioritised.
-
How will these new screening recommendations effect current screening programs.
About the Research Project: Recent years have seen an increase in the involvement of the EU in health law and policy. This is despite the fact there is no neatly defined concept of EU health policy or law and the EU has limited legislative power in the field of human health. Recently the EU recommended to extend screening programs to prostate, lung and, under certain circumstances, gastric cancer, in a stepwise approach. This is when current screening recommendations are not fully operational in many EU countries. This study will aim to examine the knowledge and perceptions of policy makers, program coordinators and health care providers regarding the new EU recommendations. These knowledge and perceptions may act as either barriers or facilitators to implementation of EU cancer screening recommendations.
What Participation Involves: Participation will involve taking part in an interview of approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. This interview will be held online via Microsoft Teams at the participants convenience.
Benefits of Participation: Participating in this research project will help advance our understanding of the perceptions of the new EU cancer screening recommendations. Involvement will directly support the broader goal of enhancing cancer screening practices, ultimately contributing to the improvement of public health outcomes across Europe.
Confidentiality and Ethics: All participant information will be treated with strict confidentiality, and robust security measures are in place to protect collected data. Participants will be provided with clear informed consent, affirming their right to withdraw without consequences. Any publications will anonymise participants to protect individual identities.
Next Steps: Anyone interested in contributing can fill out the form via the following link https://forms.office.com/e/7Nv2yuLcuH or email their expression of interest to b.sheridan@erasmusmc.nl, including their name and country affiliation
Thank you for considering this opportunity. If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact me at b.sheridan@erasmusmc.nl.
Sincerely,
Brian Sheridan
PhD Student
Erasmus MC