17.08.12
Patient survey shows improvement in cancer care
Cancer patient experience has improved across the country, results from the second national survey suggest.
Results showed 98 trusts improved on their scores from last year and 88% of patients rated their overall care as excellent or very good. 91% received understandable answers to important questions they had.
The survey indicated that 94% of patients are always given enough privacy when examined or treated, 83% were told they had cancer with sensitivity and 84% were given a choice of treatment.
Over 70,000 patients completed the survey.
Areas for improvement were highlighted as giving family or close friends all the information they needed to take care of the patient effectively, as only 60% said this was definitely taking place.
Health secretary Andrew Lansley said the survey showed the NHS was “heading in the right direction”. He added: “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.”
National cancer director Professor Sir Mike Richards said: “The information from this survey is vital to driving improvements on the ground for patients. By seeing what areas they can improve upon, the local NHS can focus on the areas that matter most to patients.”
Juliet Bouverie, director of services at Macmillan Cancer Support, labelled the improvements “fantastic” but cautioned that this best practice must be ensured across all cancer types.
She added: “Macmillan believes that the NHS Commissioning Board now needs to ensure strong incentives are provided to the NHS so that commissioners are judged on patient experience as a measure of how they are performing.”
NHS Confederation deputy director of policy Jo Webber said that feedback was one of the most important indicators of performance.
“Excellent care doesn’t happen by accident; it is the result of detailed planning, hard work and well-developed medical and personal skills of NHS staff.”
The 10 most improved trusts from 2010 to 2011 are:
Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust
East Kent University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospital Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Medway NHS Foundation Trust
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]
Image c. Håvar og Solveig