Evaluating an 'incident control' approach to non-communicable disease

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Investigated a significant disparity in 1-year lung cancer survival rates between two Clinical Commissioning Groups and the England national average (2011-14).
• Explored the adaptation of communicable disease 'incident control' methodology for non-communicable disease (NCD) management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of applying a formalised incident control approach to NCDs.
• To determine if this methodology can improve patient outcomes in cases of unexplained variations or outliers.

Main Methods:

• Employed a descriptive, qualitative process evaluation.
• Included a document review against an NCD incident control framework.
• Conducted semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders involved in implementation.

Main Results:

• The incident control model demonstrated feasibility, with strengths in clear case/incident definition, phased approach, partner engagement, data analysis, and communication.
• Challenges identified include delays in data publication and lack of comparable NCD data, hindering timely response and prioritization.
• The structured approach facilitated collaboration and strategic planning.

Conclusions:

• Applying defined incident control methodology to NCD management holds value, particularly for identifying and addressing measurable variations or outliers.
• The framework supports structured problem-solving and outcome improvement in public health initiatives.
• Further refinement is needed to address data challenges for optimal application.