Cancer patient experience improves

The results of the second National Cancer Patient Experience Survey shows that more cancer patients are reporting that they are treated with respect, given treatment choices and are benefitting from better services. Completed by more than 70,000 patients, the survey found that 98 Trusts have improved on their results from last year – while 88% of patients rated their overall care as excellent or very good. The survey provides detailed information on cancer patients’ experiences of cancer services – allowing the NHS locally to see how it is performing and to focus on areas where improvement is needed, including better information for patients and better support during inpatient stays. Key findings from the survey showed that patients are:

• Given clear answers – 91% (91% in 2010) of patients saying that they received understandable answers to important questions all or most of the time from their clinical nurse specialist.
• Treated with dignity – 94% (93% in 2010) of patients saying that they were always given enough privacy when being examined or treated.
• Seen quickly – 83% (81% in 2010) of patients feeling they were seen as soon as necessary by a hospital doctor.
• Treated with respect – 83% (83% in 2010) of patients feeling they were told sensitively that they had cancer.
• Given a choice of treatment – 84% (83% in 2010) of patients being given a choice of different types of cancer treatment before their treatment started.

Speaking at a visit to Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust, the most improved Trust in the country, the previous Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, said: “We want an NHS which puts patients at the heart of everything, with a focus on the care given and results which matter most to people. This survey shows we are heading in the right direction. An improved patient experience for cancer patients is fantastic news and I would like to thank those doctors and nurses who have worked tirelessly to improve standards of care. Where Trusts are doing less well, I would urge them to look at what patients are telling them and take action so that cancer care best practice is adopted across the whole of the NHS.” Trusts have taken action in a range of different ways since the last survey, to tackle the issues identified. In addition, Quality Health, who carried out the survey, went to talk through the results with last year’s under-performing Trusts and most of these have now significantly improved this year. The 10 most improved Trusts for this year’s survey were: