• Dipesh P Gopal, Ping Guo, TaylorStephanie J CSJC0000-0001-7454-6354Centre for Primary Care, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Yvonne Carter Building, 58 Turner Street, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AB, United Kingdom., and Nikolaos Efstathiou.
• Centre for Primary Care, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Yvonne Carter Building, 58 Turner Street, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AB, United Kingdom.
• Fam Pract. 2025 Jan 17; 42 (1).

BackgroundOne role of primary care is to support people living with and beyond cancer, the number of whom is increasing worldwide. This study aimed to identify factors affecting cancer care provision within English primary care after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, during high healthcare service demand, and a depleted workforce.MethodsAn exploratory qualitative descriptive approach was used to collect data via remote semi-structured interviews with primary care staff after gaining informed consent. Interview transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsFifteen primary care staff were interviewed (11 general practitioners, 3 practice nurses, and 1 physician associate). Factors affecting cancer care delivery in primary care were: (i) patient level: acceptance of healthcare and understanding of cancer; (ii) clinician level: personal experience with cancer and knowledge; (iii) general practice level: care coordinators and cancer registers, and (iv) system level: lack of healthcare resourcing and political inaction.ConclusionsThe ability of primary care to deliver cancer care is affected by multiple factors at various levels. Future studies should identify the implementation strategies of local and national policies to better understand how to improve cancer care education, practice-level infrastructure, evidence-based workforce planning, and healthcare resourcing.© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press.

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