Co-production of recommendations to improve information and communication between AYAC and HCP and psychosocial support services for AYA: Preregistration

This study aims to engage AYA, caregivers and HCSP to work collaboratively with the researcher to gain insight and perspective of the type of support needed and develop a clear guidance to provide recommendations for psychosocial support for AYA and barriers experienced by HCSP working with AYA to provide support. It will be a two-step process of which the first step will be peer focus groups with AYAs, caregivers and HCSP during which participants will be asked to prioritise recommendations for addressing gaps within the support services available, how the services may be accessed more readily, improving knowledge of psychosocial needs of AYA with HCP and age-appropriate communication of these needs, including the potential for new service development. The process will also involve presenting results from the two previous studies (A qualitative study of AYA psychosocial needs and a survey of AYA HCSP) and an AYA cancer pathway asset map, developed by the researcher, to aid the discussion. The second part will be to address the priorities identified by each peer group to create a co-production group which include participants from each stakeholder group. They will work collaboratively to prioritise recommendations for improvement of psychosocial support services for AYA, and guidance for HCSP in addressing challenges or barriers experienced in working with AYA. This study will offer a unique opportunity to not just collate the experiences and perspectives of AYA, caregivers, and HCSP, but to provide recommendations from those that are service users or frontline practitioners and experience the issues that can in providing psychosocial support or services.