Background: Diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS) can be a lengthy process, which can negatively affect psychological well-being, condition management, and future engagement with health services. Therefore, providing timely and appropriate emotional support may improve adjustment and health outcomes.Purpose: To develop a patient care pathway for providing emotional support around the point of diagnosing MS, and to explore potential barriers and facilitators to delivery and implementation.Methods: Focus groups were conducted with 26 stakeholders, including 16 people living with MS, 5 carers/family members and 5 professionals working with people living with MS (3 MS nurses, 1 psychiatrist, and 1 charity staff member). Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using framework analysis.Results: Participants suggested that a patient care pathway should include comprehensive information provision as a part of emotional support at diagnosis, and follow-up sessions with a healthcare professional. Barriers including increasing staff workloads and financial costs to health services were acknowledged, thus participants suggested including peer support workers to deliver additional emotional support. All participants agreed that elements of a care pathway and embedded interventions should be individually tailored, yet provided within a standardized system to ensure accessibility.Conclusions: A patient care pathway was developed with stakeholders, which

Background/objectives: Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) is a complex inherited disease that is associated with an increased risk of malignancy. Surveillance guidelines have demonstrated significant health benefits in other cancer predisposition syndromes (CPS). Evidence-based guidelines for cancer screening are not currently used in the UK for people affected by A-T. This study aims to understand how people with A-T and their parents feel about cancer surveillance using whole-body MRI to inform the future development of cancer surveillance guidelines. Design/Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews of people affected by A-T. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. Results: Nine parents of children with A-T and four adults with A-T were interviewed. Five main themes emerged from the data. All participants viewed cancer screening for children with A-T as invaluable and emphasised the perceived value of early detection. The second theme acknowledged the anxiety associated with cancer and cancer surveillance and the third theme highlighted the perceived limitations around current practice, with the responsibility for monitoring falling too strongly on parents and patients. The fourth theme identified the need for effective preparation for cancer screening, including clear communication, and the challenges of MRI screening were recognised in the fifth theme with specific recommendations made for improving the child’s experience. Conclusion: This study suggests that stakeholders are positive about the perceived advantages of a cancer screening programme. Ongoing support and preparation techniques should be adopted to maximise adherence and minimise adverse psychosocial outcomes.

Background/Objectives Ataxia–telangiectasia (A‐T) is a complex inherited disease associated with an increased risk of malignancy. Surveillance guidelines have demonstrated significant health benefits in other cancer predisposition syndromes. However, evidence‐based guidelines for cancer screening are not currently used in the United Kingdom for people affected by A‐T. This study aims to understand how people with A‐T and their parents feel about cancer surveillance using whole‐body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to inform the future development of cancer surveillance guidelines. Design/Methods We conducted semistructured interviews with people affected by A‐T. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. Results Nine parents of children with A‐T and four adults with A‐T were interviewed. Five main themes emerged from the data, including (1) cancer screening was considered invaluable with the perceived value of early detection highlighted; (2) the cancer fear can increase anxiety; (3) the perceived limitations around current practice, with the responsibility for monitoring falling too strongly on parents and patients; (4) the need for effective preparation for cancer screening, including clear communication and (5) the challenges associated with MRI screening, where specific recommendations were made for improving the child's experience. Conclusion This study suggests that stakeholders are positive about the perceived advantages of a cancer screening programme. Ongoing support and preparation techniques should be adopted to maximise adherence and minimise adverse psychosocial outcomes. Patient or Public Contribution People with A‐T and parents of people with A‐T were actively involved in this study by giving their consent to be interviewed. An independent parent representative contributed to the study, supporting the research team in interpreting and commenting on the appropriateness of the language used in this report.