MASCED PRO

The MASCED PRO on-line Training Programme has been developed by national melanoma and skin cancer charity, Skcin, to provide medical and healthcare practitioners with an accessible, cost effective tool with which to develop their knowledge of the early signs and symptoms of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers - giving them the confidence to refer or signpost patients to appropriate colleagues and/or services following the identification of suspicious lesions.

Despite the vast majority of all skin cancers being preventable, statistics continue to soar and ignorance regarding how to spot the early signs and symptoms on a personal level, or within professional capacities remains widespread. The objective of the MASCED PRO programme is to fill the mammoth void that exists in this arena by facilitating the provision of effective training tools with quality printed and on-line resources, enabling practitioners to integrate this knowledge into their everyday practice and extend vital information on prevention and early detection across their patient communities.

All funds received from the MASCED PRO Training Programme are ploughed straight back into the charity, enabling us to enhance and develop our range of educational intervention programmes and resources, to aid the prevention and early detection of melanoma and skin cancer on a national scale.

What’s Involved?

1. Upon registration to the MASCED PRO programme, practitioners will be posted their printed welcome pack which includes their welcome letter, mole ruler, patient material and MASCED PRO Guide. The MASCED PRO Guide is an A5, 40 page essential learning tool that provides key information about the risks associated with UV, how to prevent skin cancer, how to identify the most common types of melanoma & non-melanoma skin cancers, how and when to refer/signpost patients, and how to extend vital information into and across their patient community. The MASCED PRO guide and mole ruler are designed to be kept in clinic as easy reference tools to aid practitioners in their everyday practice.

2. Once practitioners have studied their MASCED PRO Guide, they can complete their training by taking the on-line e-course, accessed via their login on the MASCED PRO website. The e-course has been developed to reinforce key messaging throughout the MASCED PRO guide whilst providing a virtual experience in the identification of suspicious lesions and the subsequent referral/signposting process. The e-course should take around 60-90 minutes to complete, at which point practitioners are awarded their personal Certificate of Completion of Training that is valid for one year. Practitioners can maintain their certification by re-taking the e-course annually, to reinforce their knowledge and maintain best practice.

Learning Outcomes

With the provision of the training and tools provided by the MASCED PRO Training Programme, on completion learners will be able to:

• Identify and interpret common signs and symptoms in the assessment of the most common forms of potential non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers.
• Demonstrate appropriate clinical decision-making in taking action to refer or sign-post patients to appropriate colleagues and / or services.
• Utilise effective communication techniques in the education of their patients in relation to the identification, management and prevention of sun damage and skin cancer.
• Critically reflect on their own clinical practice to identify and develop their understanding of sun damage and skin cancers.
• Gain access to the tools and resources with which to extend the provision of vital information on the prevention and early detection of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer into and across their patient community.

Impact on Current Practice

Many factors contribute to delayed diagnosis of skin cancer and melanoma. Lack of knowledge and awareness on a national scale means that cancerous lesions are not detected by patients or healthcare practitioners, delaying treatment which can result in poor prognosis. There are potential impacts of the MASCED PRO training on current healthcare practice in the UK, these are:

• Increased confidence, enhanced practical skills and Improved knowledge of skin lesions across medical and healthcare industries.
• Early identification and treatment of malignant lesions, so Breslow thickness is graded lower - increasing long term survival rates.
• Increased awareness - that not all lesions follow the ABCDE guide and that the ABCDEF (subungual) and CUBED rules are good additional diagnostic tools.
• Increased knowledge of the warning signs of amelanotic lesions which lack pigmentation.
• Increased awareness and education within the patient community in relation to the identification, management and prevention of sun damage and skin cancer.
• Reduced treatment costs for the National Health Service.

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