Cancer —
Training activity: 19

Details

Participate in service delivery for the somatic cancer service

Type

Developmental training activity (DTA)

Evidence requirements

Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee​.

Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.

An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.

Reflective practice guidance

The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.

Before action

• What are the key components and workflows of the somatic cancer genetic testing service in your department (e.g., sample reception, testing pipelines, reporting, MDT involvement)?
• What are the roles and responsibilities of different members of the somatic cancer service team (e.g., scientists, clinical scientists, pathologists, clinicians)?
• What are the relevant quality management procedures and turnaround time targets for different types of somatic cancer tests?
• Will you discuss the structure and processes of the somatic cancer service with your training officer or a senior member of the team?
• What standard operating procedures or other relevant documentation will you review to familiarise yourself with the service delivery pathways?
• What specific aspects of service delivery (e.g., dealing with urgent requests, managing sample backlogs, participating in quality improvement initiatives) are you particularly interested in observing or contributing to?

In action

• How are you currently contributing to the service, and what real-time decisions—such as prioritising tasks or managing bottlenecks—are you making right now to ensure the testing pathway operates efficiently?
• What challenges or communication barriers are you encountering, and how has this deepened your understanding of the importance of different team roles and the laboratory’s impact on the overall patient journey?
• How are you ensuring your actions align with SOPs and the Quality Management System, and what immediate senior support or escalation do you need to resolve unexpected issues effectively?

On action

• What were the key activities involved in the somatic cancer service delivery that you participated in?
  • How did different members of the team contribute to the service?
  • What were the key challenges and workflows within the somatic cancer service?
• Did you gain a better understanding of the overall process of somatic cancer genetic testing, from referral to reporting?
  • Did you learn about the roles and responsibilities of different healthcare professionals involved in the service?
  • How does laboratory practice integrate with the broader clinical care pathway for somatic cancer patients?
• How will you apply your understanding of the somatic cancer service to your daily work?
  • What areas of the service would you like to learn more about?
  • How can you contribute to the continuous improvement of the somatic cancer service?

Beyond action

• Having participated in service delivery, how has your understanding of the broader operational aspects of a somatic cancer genetics service evolved?
• Can you identify specific instances where your involvement in this training activity has influenced how you now approach your daily tasks or interact with colleagues?
• How has this experience contributed to your understanding of the patient pathway and the importance of efficient service delivery in cancer diagnostics?
• As you progress in your career, how will your understanding of service delivery help you to contribute to service improvement and innovation in the somatic cancer service?

Relevant learning outcomes

#	Outcome
# 1	Outcome Apply appropriate sample selection criteria for the commonly referred cancer samples, taking into account the implications of the referral with respect to sample type, sampling mixed cell populations, limits of detection, sensitivity of assay and patient management.
# 2	Outcome Select the laboratory testing strategy for the commonly referred cancer samples at all stages of the patient pathway.
# 3	Outcome Analyse, interpret and report tests for patients referred with sporadic cancer.
# 4	Outcome Analyse, interpret and report on genetic testing for circulating tumour referrals.
# 7	Outcome Analyse, interpret and report gene fusion testing in cancer referrals.